Hot Tar Roofing:
Contractors send mailings, telemarket, or
go door to door in this scam, offering a
price that sounds too good to be true and
want to do the job immediately. They often
use substandard materials. You may not realize
you've been duped until heavy rains cause
the roof to leak, resulting in damage to
the building's interior. Sometimes you can't
determine the quality of the job until after
it has been completed. "If you're having
major work done, ensure that your contract
has a hold-back clause where you withhold
the final payment until 30 days after completion
of a project," Levinson says.
Furnace repair:
Once they inspect your furnace, they may
claim it is leaking dangerous gases or is
about to explode. Ask your utility company
to come inspect your system. Also, be wary
if a contractor tells you the unit is too
small or needs a complete overhaul. When
choosing a contractor, always get several
estimates on the needed repair.
Duct Cleaning:
In very unusual circumstances ducts must
be cleaned. The scheme is called a "blow
and go" because the scam artist will
use a small vacuum cleaner with no special
filters to stir up the dust, pollen, mold
and other contaminants instead of removing
them. Duct cleaning can be necessary if
there is mold in the house or if the heating
or air conditioning has been running with
inadequate or nonexistent filtering. If
you change filters regularly, your ducts
don't need to be cleaned.
Alana
Klein is a freelance writer based in New York.
