What started as a standard cold-weather furnace check turned into a five-figure sales recommendation. The owner of an aging unit said a technician pointed to rust spots and a corroded bolt, and quoted a lofty figure of $14,000.

Seeking a reality check, the homeowner brought the situation to the r/hvacadvice subreddit and quickly got one.

Here's what to know

At the center of the Reddit post was the technician's explanation for the recommendation. The homeowner said, "All the rusty spots were causes for concern and that the bolt would require furnace replacement." They described the equipment as an "18 year old lennox furnace" and asked for input.

The responses largely pushed back on the idea that the unit needed to go. One commenter said, "Surface rust is somewhat common for a 10+ year old system," while also cautioning that "techs tend to overblown the concerns." 

Another was even more direct: "Scammer, don't let them back in your home and find a new company to do service ."

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More background

Some commenters focused on whether the furnace had actually been deemed unsafe. 

"I work hvac, if my mom had this furnace I'd let it ride," one contended. "It's fine I'd bet my mother's life on it."

The homeowner made clear they were not buying the first diagnosis. In a follow-up comment, the original poster revealed, "I'm definitely getting a few second opinions on this one," adding that the rust and supposed damage looked "really good for a 20 year old unit."

Another commenter used the discussion to argue that hard-sell replacement pitches are becoming more common from "incredibly desperate" sales techs.

Several replies drew a distinction between cosmetic aging and a serious defect.

One commenter said: "Show us the hole in the heat exchanger then it's time [for] replacement," 

What can be done?

Overall, the thread's advice was to ask for something specific before agreeing to spend that kind of money. Commenters urged the homeowner to have any technician identify an actual failed part, or to formally tag the unit if it was unsafe.

That approach led to a different conclusion.

The OP shared: "Just got a second opinion who told me what I had already figured. That it looked like a 15 year old furnace but there was nothing that needed replacing just yet. Thanks for all the support!" 

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Where can I learn more?

Homeowner forums are full of stories about shaky HVAC diagnoses and hard-sell replacement pitches. 

• A homeowner was told to replace a perfectly fine furnace for nearly $30,000.

• Homeowners say some HVAC contractors use "trust me" sales tactics to push costly systems.

• One HVAC tech offered the silliest pseudoscience yet while discussing a furnace replacement.

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