DO NOT TRUST THIS COMPANY - SCAM TACTICS & HIGH-PRESSURE SALES
My furnace went out at 4 AM in the middle of winter, and with a 14-month-old baby at home, I called Best Rates Heating & Cooling for emergency service. Instead of a straightforward repair, I was pressured into an unnecessary $7,000 furnace replacement using scare tactics and zero real testing.
Here's what happened:
The technician quickly got my furnace running but immediately told me I had a carbon monoxide (CO2) leak without actually testing for CO2 levels. He used a snake cam to show me cracks inside the furnace and insisted I needed a full replacement right away.
I was skeptical and went out to buy multiple CO2 detectors from Home Depot while he "went to the shop" for parts. My detectors showed 0 CO2 leaks anywhere in my home.
When I told him I needed to discuss the purchase with my wife, he shut off my heat and said he couldn't leave it running due to "liability concerns." Instead of fixing the actual issue, he staged the system for me to bypass a safety limit switch and disconnected two wires from the control board, explaining how I'd have to reconnect them myself. This was completely unnecessary and a blatant safety risk.
After shutting off my heat, he suddenly suggested a last-minute fix but refused to tell me what it was unless I paid $278 upfront. Desperate to get my heat working for my baby, I agreed to pay $300.
Turns out, he just replaced a simple high limit switch, which was likely the problem all along. No need for a furnace replacement.
I later had a trusted HVAC professional inspect my system, and they confirmed:
My furnace is completely safe to use.
The cracks inside do not automatically mean a CO2 leak.
The original tech misled me with fear tactics instead of real testing.
I reached out to Best Rates Heating & Cooling asking for a partial refund, but they ignored my messages. This was a clear attempt to scam me into an expensive furnace replacement I didn't need.
Bottom Line: If you call this company, get a second opinion before agreeing to anything! I would never trust them again. read more