Complaint Review: Green Heat

Green Heat is the re-incarnation of International Duct Cleaning, reported elsewhere on ripoffreport.com. They have moved from Illinois to CA, and changed the name--presumably "Green" heat is thought to be more alluring to eco-conscious Californians. I know they are the same company because--too late--I looked up their 800 number, which is 800 209 2985, and the first several google hits are from ripoffreport, and the decription of their tactics is exactly the same as those used by Green Heat. And even the technician's name--Sean--is the same! By the end of his visit, I had discovered their previous identity and casually asked him if he used to work in Illinois, to which he replied "yes."

It's an old story, and I regret falling for it. They start off by calling you and saying "their records show"--an initial lie, since they had never been at our house before--that we are due for a duct cleaning. Then they use the bait of a "special offer" of $29. Then, having booked for a few days later, I get a call the next day, saying the technician happens to be in the area, and they've just had a cancellation, can he come over now? So, although I had other things to do, I think, why not? Get it done with. He shows up, and within minutes says that we need a "5-year heavy duty cleaning" and this will be only $750--per furnace! (we have 2). When I express shock and outrage at this switch from $29 to $$1500, he says he'll check with his boss. You know the old fashioned car salesman trick--let me check with my mananger. Same idea. So, after calling his boss he comes back with initially $350 each, and then when I say I'm not interested, another call brings it down to $175 each. I'm now getting to the point where I just want rid of him, so I say OK. And by the way, after an "inspection" of the dryer vent--which was supposed to be included in the original $29 offer, he says it's very clean and doesn't need to be done. The inspection consists of putting his hand under the vent outlet, with an empty dryer going. OK, so then he mentions that we need a sanitizer--you'll see this mentioned in other reports about about Green Heat/International Duct Cleaning. At $100 a furnace. The implication of the earlier price had been that the sanitizer was included in the work, but after a lot of arguing, he claims that was only if I had gone with the $750 per furnace price. Then he comes up with an "ultraviolet" being needed, which--I might have the numbers not quite right--was going to be $600, but after--yet again calling the "boss"--this could be done for $300. I managed to turn down that sweetener.

And, as in order examples on this site, they insist on a check and do not want a credit card. Giving into that was another error, but at that point I just wanted him gone. You get extra consumer protection if you use a credit card.

Bottom line, this is classic pressure salesmanship in the home, and I regret having let them in the door at all. I should have figured that--at $29--"if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." I hope someone manages to see this before they too fall for it.