Not Dependable Service from Clarke and Rush

Two Years ago I purchased a new Carrier Furnace 80% Boost from Clark and Rush for total cost of $4439 including installation. I Have a 10 year warranty for manufacturer parts.

Last week at the middle of the Ten Day Heat Wave here in Northern California, our Air conditioner failed. The AC is humming outside- but no cool air is coming ( appeared the blower is defective). I immediately called my installer Clark and Rush. They answered they are fully booked for three weeks and do not answer emergency calls even from customers. I was so upset, I started calling 10 other cooling and heating service companies in The Sacramento area. Of the ten I called only one( Jaguar) had an opening within the next couple of days. The rest are booked for weeks ahead. While waiting for the service from Jaguar, Macrine and I stayed at the Mall in the afternoon when the temperature outside were over 100 and inside the house was 90. One night we stayed at my daughters house in Mid town Sacramento.

Jaguar diagnosed that the problem was indeed the blower and to replace it will cost $1536. The technician suggested to call our local Carrier Dealers and verify that the part is available locally and if not it has to be ordered from the manufacturer, since we still have the warranty on the parts. The diagnosis cost us $79.

There are several Carrier Furnace Dealers in our Area. The problem is not the part but the time availability for service. Most of the Cooling companies are fully booked. Luckily, I was able to talk to a Carrier Dealer, Comfort Master. I was told the blower is not available locally. It has to be ordered from the manufacturer and a service charge of $65 for a 2-day delivery window is required.

Since Comfort Master did not diagnosed the problem, they are hesitant to order it ahead and wants their own technician to diagnose it for an additional cost of $99. The earliest they can re diagnose the problem is two days from this writing date. I was told it would be the first week of July when we will have central air conditioning again. I hope the weather will cooperate in the next 10 days.

In the meantime, the heat wave is gone. High temperature during the next couple of days are in the low 90's. We have a Wall AC unit in our bedroom, so we can sleep, but the afternoon from 3 to 7PM, the whole house is hot, even though we have electric fans in the Kitchen and Family room, we still have to go to the Mall to cool off.

Lesson Learned: Not all Cooling Service Companies are Dependable, in spite of their Claim of superior Client Service.