For one local veteran’s family, Christmas will be a bit warmer, thanks to the donation and installation of a new high efficiency gas furnace by a Syracuse company who teamed up with the Chittenango non-profit group Clear Path for Veterans.
“The idea came from my son who is a U.S. Navy veteran and volunteered for work through his employer (Anaren). He was very impressed with Clear Path for Veterans and shared his experience with me,” said Stephen Frank, general manager of Falso Service Experts, of Syracuse. “I had just returned from an interview for my job with the CEO of Service Experts, Scott Boxer, and he instilled in me the importance of community involvement and giving back to the community. My Lennox sales rep agreed to team up with us — they’re donating top-quality equipment, and we’re providing all of the expert installation — and we reached out to Clear Path to see if they could find a veteran in need of a new furnace for the upcoming heating season.”
Clear Path’s Peer Support Team Lead Brian Knapp then identified East Syracuse U.S. Navy veteran, Dan, who served in Vietnam, as someone in need. According to Knapp, Dan’s furnace is well over 20 years old, and during a routine check-up it was revealed that there were small cracks in the heat exchanger, which directly contributes to decreased efficiency. It could have also resulted in the emission into his home of carbon monoxide, a gas which rapidly accumulates in the blood by replacing the oxygen, causing symptoms similar to the flu, such as headaches, fatigue and confusion, which can be deadly.
Falso’s crew of installers went to Dan’s home for most of the day on Dec. 22 to install a new, high-efficiency Lennox EL195 natural gas furnace for free. In addition to the furnace itself, Falso Service Experts is donating a new thermostat, sheet metal, wiring, intake and exhaust pipes, condensate drain pump, gas pipe, electrical wiring with new outlet, switch for new furnace and all labor, at an estimated value of more than $5,000.
Although in Dan’s case carbon monoxide was not being emitted, once the heat exchanger is damaged it must be replaced; you cannot patch it. It’s also not something a homeowner can see themselves, a professional furnace technician investigates the heat exchanger as a part of a comprehensive annual cleaning.
Frank said this is the first furnace and install that Falso Service Experts has donated to a veteran.
“This project by Falso speaks to the core of Clear Path’s mission. We partner with businesses and organizations who recognize the responsibility of communities to help those who serve because we believe the best way to serve our military members and their family is through collaboration and partnerships,” Knapp said. “I am grateful that we were able to make this connection, especially with the December temperatures that we have experienced.”
For more information about Clear Path for Veterans visit ClearPathForVets.com.
