It's a shame what's happened to my local HVAC contractor. It used to be a great local operation where a real person picked up when you called. But lately, after a private equity group took over, it's all automated calls and foreign call centers. The personal touch is gone and, sadly, their service quality has taken a noticeable hit. It's just not the same anymore.
If you're in the US. Starting next year, the Inflation Reduction Act added a $1900 tax credit for purchasing heat pump water heaters so it might pay off earlier than you think.
This is an essential skill for everyone to learn. The article lightly touches on how to learn to be more assertive. If you want a more thorough guide I highly recommend the book, When I Say No I Feel Guilty.
What’s hilarious with your position is that your “side”, the liberals, is perceived to be immune the conspiracy theories. For example, like how QAnon is widely believed throughout the conservative community. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/03/30/qanons-cons...