Furnace and/or Chimney Cleaning 415-20-05-10-05

(Revised 10/1/08 ML #3151)

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To prevent a heating crisis and promote safety and energy conservation, premium benefits can be paid to clean the furnace of an eligible household. Up to $100 per household (exceptions must be approved by the State Administrator) may be used for travel, labor, furnace cleaning, maintenance, and service including the cost of replacement parts such as fuel nozzle, filter, etc., necessary for maintenance and service. An additional $100 per household may be allowed for chimney cleaning when necessary for safety. All households who were financially eligible for basic LIHEAP heating assistance in any prior month of the current fiscal year are also eligible for these services, except as noted in the following paragraph.

 

Exception for furnace cleaning for those now eligible: If a household had a furnace cleaning done prior to LIHEAP eligibility and the vendor can fill out the furnace and chimney cleaning form with accuracy then the cost of furnace cleaning can be reimbursed to the client.

 

One furnace cleaning per household per season is allowed. The household has the choice of a primary or secondary furnace being cleaned in a season.

 

When a furnace cleaning and/ or chimney cleaning is completed by a vendor, the household needs to sign the form.  No payment will be made on the form unless there is a signature.

 

When the county is responsible for emergency furnace repairs the county needs to take the following steps:

  1. Insure that the furnace is not functional or poses a threat to the household’s health and safety.
  2. Have the household fill out an application for emergency assistance
  3. Determine whether the household is eligible (income and asset)
  4. Contact a vendor to repair the furnace (two bids are not needed for furnace repair)
  5. When the furnace has been repaired, it should be determined that the household is satisfied with the repair and the vendor’s costs are reasonable.  Furnace breakdowns on a weekend may be reimbursed if an eligible household reports to the county immediately on Monday.  Households should contact the office in a timely manner to have emergency furnace repair bills paid or reimbursed.  Prudent judgment will enter into the decision of whether or not to make a payment.

 

Furnace and/or chimney cleaning may be authorized for renters or homeowners who purchase fuel from a vendor, but not for a renter whose heat is included as an undesignated part of the rent. Furnace and/or chimney cleaning should not be authorized if the heating unit services more than one living unit and other households in the building are not LIHEAP recipients.

 

Requests for furnace/chimney cleanings may be made October 1 - July 31 of the current heating season.

 

Some LIHEAP eligible households have yearly maintenance contracts with fuel vendors. Vendors are responsible for repairing any appliance in the household including cleaning the furnace. The vendor must notify the county office (unless the household had already requested a furnace cleaning from the vendor) they are going to do a furnace/chimney cleaning and request a furnace/chimney cleaning form from the county office. The vendor then must verify the cleaning by supplying the county office with the completed furnace/chimney cleaning form (at this time inform the county that the household has a vendor contract.) The county can reimburse the household when the bill and the completed furnace/chimney cleaning form are received. The charge for the furnace cleaning has to be in line with other furnace cleaning done to similar furnaces.

 

Prior authorization by the county social office is required. It is the responsibility of the client to choose a vendor who can perform the required services. The furnace/chimney cleaning authorization is generated in the LIHEAP system by the county social service office. (This is done by using Option ‘Z’ Notice of Action, then go to ‘F’ under "add" a record.) The authorization is sent from the state office to the vendor. The vendor in turn calls the client and sets up an appointment for the furnace/chimney cleaning.

 

The payment is to be entered on the computer by the county social service office as a premium payment, on the "Miscellaneous and Emergency Payments" screen, Reason Code "N," service code "14."