OMG - RAFI (tech) from Cosmopolitan SAVED MY LIFE tonight!!
THE WHOLE MESS alll started today around 1:30PM when my roomie informed me we had NO hot air (and later on NO cold air) blowing from the vents in our 2-yr old, 1800 sq ft townhouse, in these FREEZING temperatures we have in the GTA. Immediately I went into a PANIC and started dialing numbers like a telemarketer.
The original HVAC installer & my builder told me the Tarion Warranty was up, so I was SOL.
The furnace manufacturer told me their Parts Warranty was up AND they don't provide service, so I was SOL.
From about 3PM-6PM SOLID - I mustve called 1001 different contractors NON STOP. I'm talking reputable ones I found from Homestars as well as questionable companies I found via Google searches (YES I KNOW crazy talk but i was DESPERATE to find someone!).
I was pretty sure the blower/fan was busted based on what my builder told me. I was desperate to find service TONIGHT so my pipes would not freeze (as I suspected the furnace went bust sometime LATE LAST NIGHT).
TO ME - it's an emergency - yet I heard one sorry excuse after the next: "Oh we don't have anyone available til tomorrow" / "Oh Brampton is too far" / "Oh we're really busy right now"... puuuure SONG & DANCE!!.
I was like WTF - how do people expect to make MONEY in the FURNACE REPAIR business in the DEAD OF WINTER if you don't have TECHS AVAILABLE IN THE GTA 24/7!?
I didn't even CARE the cost of diagnostic - I JUST WANTED TO FIND SOMEONE WHO COULD COME *that same night* and hopefully GIVE ME BACK MY HEAT!
SO finally around 5:30-5:45pM I found Cosmopolitan's info on here. I called and spoke to a guy (can't remember his name) over the phone. I'm not gonna pretend, for some reason he sounded a little sketchy BUT I still let him take down all my info, once he told me the cost of diagnosis ($99+tax) and said he'd call me back within 30 mins TOPS IF he had a tech available tonight.
AT THIS POINT - I was NOW waiting for callbacks from 3 different HVAC companies (all on Homestars).
YET - a mere 10-15 mins later - the Cosmopolitan guy CALLED BACK! He said he had a tech that could come within 2 FRICKIN HRS> I was ecstatic. He reconfirmed the cost of diagnosis & payment options (MC/VISA/cash/check) and when I asked, he said he could/would ask the tech to call me when he was on his way.
About say... 45 mins to an hour later - the tech (RAFI) called to say he was en route and about 15 mins away. I gave him directions and he arrived literally within 15 mins, JUST LIKE HE SAID.
He was young, SUPER FRIENDLY, very mindful/considerate (asked if he should take his shoes off or keep them on etc...) and EXTREMELY KNOWLEDGEABLE.
As he was opening up the furnace (which he said is actually an AIR HANDLER since my heat/hot air comes from my rental hot water tank) he told me each step of the way what he was doing, kinda like semi-teaching me. As a nerd/bookworm I was very intrigued.
Halfway through he told me it could be one of 2 things - either a blown fan/motor ($650 installed) or a faulty compressor ($220 installed). THEN he did some thingymajiggy and BAM the furnace motor/fan/blower came ON - SWEET MUSIC TO MY EAR!! He also mentioned that given the time of day (evening) and how ANXIOUS I was to get heat, other SHADY contractors PROBABLY MIGHT have charged me for the MORE expensive repair by purposefully NOT checking to see (like he did IN FRONT of me) WHETHER OR NOT the fan/motor could be "manually" started - and instead they would've ordered & charged me for installation of a brand new part I didn't even NEED!
Lemme tell you I was SHOCKED but EXTREMELY grateful for this tidbit of info and his HONESTY/FAIRNESS.
GOD KNOWS... other contractors had quoted me $400-$600 for PARTS ONLY for a blown fan/motor.
SO again I was and AM super happy & IMPRESSED that RAFI saved me money by his HONESTY & INTEGRITY - AND GOT MY HEAT WORKING again THE SAME NIGHT!!!!!!!!
Literally... RAFI was in/out of my house within 15-20 mins TOPS. SO FAST. When he got to my house, the temp was 18 deg C AND FALLING rapidly. He's been gone almost 2H and it's already a TOASTY 23 deg C AND RISING. THANK GOD!!!!
I would DEF DEF recommend Cosmopolitan Mechanical Services and DEF will be using them again the future! SIMPLY AMAZING, FAST, FAIR SERVICE!!
- a NEW FOUND & LOYAL customer.
- Approximate cost of services:
- $360.00