DEAR HARRY: I am 73 and a transplant recipient. My wife is 71 and on dialysis. As you can guess, our immune systems are compromised. Late in the winter, we started having trouble with our heating system. We needed a new heater immediately on a Friday night. After many calls, we got a guy who said he could come out the next day and replace the heater if necessary. He installed it except for a few "cosmetics" that he promised for Monday. He was paid in full by a bank loan. The heater failed on us the next day. After many calls with no answers, we decided to contact the company whose furnace was installed. They said that the installer ruined the unit with a shoddy installation and that a new furnace was needed and that this was not covered by their warranty. Two furnaces, two bills, one now-functioning furnace, one missing installer. We're now deeply in hock with nowhere to go. Help!
WHAT HARRY SAYS: It is quite possible that the warranty extends to the installation by an authorized dealer and maybe to an unauthorized one. Even if it doesn't, I think you have a shot because companies don't like unhappy customers. If direct talks fail, try the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Bureau at 215-560-2414.