I was minding my own business fixing a furnace when, like a fly that refuses to be shooed, I get buzzed by that name yet again… “The Requisition Technician”
That’s a pseudonym of course. Someday I may go Bulworth and reveal his identity, but not today. Whatever his name, I hear it too often!
Anyway, as I was repairing the furnace I got to talking with the homeowner about the air conditioner. She happens to have old invoices, so I take a look-see. And what do I see? Take a look…
Req Tech performed the same repair on the same air conditioner 13 months apart. For a capacitor to fail in about a year is ridiculous. (His 90 day warranty is beyond ridiculous.) A capacitor should last at least 10 years. Well… an OEM grade capacitor should last 10 years.
Replacement grade capacitors, on the other hand, usually last 5 to 10 years. As this homeowner learned, a few of them don’t even last that long. “Replacement grade” is a euphemism for junk capacitors that usually come from China. The good ones usually come from Mexico or the US. As you can see below, junk is what they installed the second time.
It’s a safe bet that’s what he installed the first time too. And for what? Eight bucks! This replacement grade capacitor costs $8. An OEM version of the same things costs $16.
It’s not just the five star rated Req Tech. (Yes, Virginia, he really is rated five stars on Yowl). Most contractors use the cheapest parts possible. They know that very few homeowners remember what was repaired even a year or two ago. This is a great example of just that. Even though the homeowner kept her receipts, she didn’t realize what this fly-by-night outfit did to her till I pointed it out.