The Preventative Maintenance Debacle

We have PM contracts on our HVAC units. Twice a year the company comes out to check our HVAC units to make sure they are in tip top shape. They came for the summer visit last month right before we left for the wedding. The tech showed me a fan motor where the bearings were worn down and strongly suggested replacing the fan motor.

The unit was working perfectly. I asked the question, “What would happen if I waited until the fan motor failed and then replaced it?” I got the old, “It could burn up your HVAC unit, especially if you did not notice right away.”

Since I don’t have time to sit around and watch my HVAC fan we went ahead and replaced the motor. Then we went away for 10 days. Came back. And felt like the front of the house was not as cool as the back (we have two systems.)

Then this heat wave came. The front could not get cool. So this morning we called our HVAC company. Russ was the one who was home when the same tech arrived who changed the motor.

Turns out he put the wrong motor in. He owned up to the problem being caused by him, and Russ said, “You know you are lucky I am the one here and not my wife.” The tech acknowledged his luck.

So here we are. Down one unit. Awaiting the word on how long it will take to fix what was not broken when they “fixed” my unit last month. Who knows what damage to the unit was done by this wrong motor straining to work, especially though this heat.

I wish I had listened to my instincts and not replaced that motor. The saga will continue.