poop happens

it's funny but, as i was counting down the days to my cast removal (6) the other day, i wondered what my new problems would be.  little did i think it would have anything to do with my fairly new furnace!

i'd called in a man to do the routine job of cleaning the furnace but got a cold feeling in my heart when hollered up from the basement that there was something he wanted me to see.  i knew that was not a good sign.

first he showed me the watery/rust marks on the ducts leading from the wall to the furnace and told me i needed a new chimney liner because moisture was getting in.  i asked what it cost for a new liner and was told $600.  then he showed me the igniter on the furnace and said it also needed to be replaced because the moisture had dripped down on it, too.  the cost here would be about another $150.  he said he didn't think the furnace in this condition would continue working through the winter.  just what i needed to hear 2 weeks before i leave for florida!

then he wrote me up an estimate which, to my shock, had risen to a total of $1200 but it did include cleaning the furnace.  i told him i'd need to get other estimates before spending that kind of money.  the bigger problem here is that i need this done within the next 2 weeks so now i'm under extreme pressure.

i called another company today to have them give me an estimate and they'll be here later this afternoon.  the good news from the man i spoke to is that he didn't think the igniter needed replacing if it was already working...and thank heavens it is!  he said he could do the work early next week if i hire him but i'll have to see his estimate first.

i hate, hate, hate having to deal with stuff like this by myself!

update:  b & g electric came over and inspected the furnace, pronounced the igniter absolutely fine with no need to replace.  they concurred that the chimney liner and the ducts leading to the furnace did need replacing and the cost, including cleaning the furnace, would be $600.  the work will be done next wednesday.  i'm sooo disappointed in the first repairman, from shipton's heating and cooling, who would have charged me twice as much and replaced the igniter which is just fine.

the lesson learned is that we need to be on guard and always get a second opinion before hiring anyone.