A Surprise/Good News

[lydamorehouse]

 First of all, the furnace does NOT need to be replaced. In fact, the guy who came (more about him in a second) was able to replace the thermostat on the spot and everything was fine. He cleaned and inspected the boiler and told us that it should actually be good for several more years, and then we talked about how things used to be built to last.

Which might make you think THIS part of the story is going to go differently than it does.

I was, as you can imagine, very nervous all day waiting for the repair person to show up. I had my mask in my pocket along with a spare, (one I was willing to give away), thinking that they might just show up and I might have to demand on the spot that they wear a mask.  I was dreading this confrontation but totally steeled for it, you know?  

Then the call comes. I say, pleasantly, "Thanks for giving us a call ahead of time. It gives us a chance to put on our masks too." THE RELIEF IN HIS VOICE WAS PALPABLE as he said "Oh, that's wonderful! I'll be wearing mine too!"

It had never until that moment occurred to me that there might be people working for a company whose receptionist/scheduler huffily mutters, "if you INSIST," who might actually feel safer IF EVERYONE WORE A MASK. And, that some customers, even the ones who might insist the repair person wears a mask, might not be willing to put on one of their own in their own home. 

So, yeah, I think we got great service from J*** at ## Furnace because he was so, so very happy that I was wearing a mask and that I was very attentive to social distancing, etc.

Comments

[brin_bellway]

To be on the safe side, you might not want to name names here. If word gets back to his boss, he might be punished for allowing a customer to become aware that he's concerned about the safety of his work environment, and to become aware that he sometimes thinks ill (so to speak) of customers (*especially* don't imply that he gives worse service to people who endanger him!). We're supposed to pretend to be perfect service-bots for whom the Second Law of Robotics entirely outranks the Third.

(I mean, I too have sometimes leaked concern when the only customers within earshot are people who clearly agree with me, but I hope they don't *review* me for it. I don't want to know what my boss would do to me if they did. Normally he gives people fewer shifts if they displease him, but given that I'm on record as wanting fewer hours of exposure right now, he might be clever enough to give me *more* shifts as punishment. And of course there's always verbal punishments.

*One* time I tried framing my concern about [someone whose mask wasn't covering their nose] as "friendly advice on mask-wearing technique", and they saw right through me and, in an ever so polite and reasonable and folksy tone, told me off. "I know my rights", they said, and they did, they sure did.)

[lydamorehouse]

I blotted out bits of the names. Hopefully, no one will get into trouble.

[dreamshark]

FWIW, I've had two service people in my house since the pandemic started and both wore masks the entire time without anybody having to remind them. I wore one too. It was all very convivial.

You are luckier than you realize to have found an HVAC company who did not try to gaslight you into buying a new furnace you did not need. Apparently that sort of dishonesty is pretty much the expected behavior in that business these days. I'm making a note of "KB Furnace" in case we need our boiler tended to in the future.

[lydamorehouse]

Do, although KB Furnace is the people that always come out for our HomeSmart inspections, which is part of a service we pay for via Xcel Energy.

[sabotabby]

Amazing! What a good place.

[lydamorehouse]

It made me happy!

[spiderplanet]

I'm very glad to hear that it was all good. It must be so scary to work in people's homes, good for you for letting him know what to expect.

[lydamorehouse]

We talked about it a little, because he has to deal with people's animals and all sorts of other stuff. I can only imagine it must be scary and weird and who-knows-what all else.

[duskpeterson]

We had our hot water heater die on us, but thankfully, the door to the heater is in the apartment building's hallway. I shouted my thanks afterwards from the upstairs window, when the maintenance crew were getting into their van.