The Ontario government banned unsolicited door-to-door sales of most heating and air services back in March after many years of it being a serious issue. However, the recent story about a Toronto man with a mental disability being tricked into signing expensive heating and cooling contracts for everything from maintenance plans to HEPA filters proves that this is still a problem everyone needs to be on the watch for.

Windsor Area Furnace Scam
Often, these salespeople will come to your door and allude to government organizations or even introduce themselves as government employees. They’ll ask you about your current heating system and will want permission to come inside to assess it. After the inspection, they’ll tell you that you need a new furnace and will want you to sign a contract right away.

These scammers may use a number of different approaches to convince you to sign a new contract. They may talk about government rebates that are available for a new furnace or they may threaten you with scary stats and false reasoning that your current system isn’t safe. Often, they’ll try a number of different approaches until you agree to sign a contract for a new furnace.

Protect Yourself
The best way to protect yourself from these Windsor furnace scams is to never sign anything from a door-to-door salesperson. Remember, you’re under no obligation to even let a salesperson into your home—no matter how hard they push their sales pitch. If you’re concerned about your heating system, call your trusted Windsor HVAC company to come out and look at your system.

Remember that these furnace scams work because homeowners buckle to the high-pressure sales tactics. If you ever feel uncomfortable and unsure about someone that has come to your door—don’t sign anything! Instead, take down as much information as you can and call the non-emergency police line or your own trusted heating and cooling company to verify their claims.

If you have any questions about your heating or cooling system, contact Fahrhall Home Comfort Specialists, we’re always happy to help.

Since 1967, Fahrhall Home Comfort Specialists has been providing reliable heating, cooling, plumbing and air quality service and installation to customers in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent regions.

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