ComplaintsforHeath Mechanical Services LLC

• Initial Complaint

  05/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Heath Mechanical Service LLC was called to replace my A/C and heater after a storm lighting strike. There were several problems from the time of the installation. #****** cost $9,380 and was installed May 2020. - Heath Mechanical said that I would get up to 98% heat efficiency. The efficiency is about the same as my old heater according to my utility bills. - Heath Mechanical created a hole near my front door without my permission and later told me that it was necessary to avoid venting through the fireplace and to get up to 98% efficiency. - Heath Mechanical said I was offered me a labor warranty and I declined it. However, there is no record that I was offered and declined labor warranty. The equipment was covered by warranty, the labor was not. - Heath Mechanical gave me a (#******) monthly maintenance agreement in August 2022 service appointments lacked a checklist.. - That bring us to #****** Cost $2,374 (1-17-2023) I noticed large pools of water around the heater. The filter was soaking wet. Heath Mechanical said the unit installed only a couple of years ago had failed and it needed to be replaced. I asked how much time did I have to decide? Heath Mechanical said I had a few days or a week before CO could start leaking. New heater installed 3 days later. The next day there is a major water leak in the system and the unit is shut down in chilling temperatures. The next day Heath Mechanical comes and re-starts the unit. About a week later, the heater stops working again in freezing temperatures. Heath Mechanical comes back and get the heater running again. There is a slow leak at the bottom of the heater. I'm told to keep an eye on it. In summary, this reads like fraud to me. If the bank doesn't do anything my next step is to file a claim with bbb.org. My next step, if necessary, will be a small claims lawsuit. I should not be responsible for any costs because Heath Mechanical failed to offer the labor warranty option/decline in the original agreement.

  

  Business response

  05/20/2023

  The complaint of *** ****** seems to be about numerous issues that are unrelated to anything of merit to avoid collection of a currently unpaid invoice. To address each concern that is listed on the complaint we must start at the beginning and is quite lengthy…
  We helped *** ****** back in the spring of 2020 when lightning took out a Power Company transformer on a utility pole that affected several homes on the block with a power surge.  The power company stepped in and reimbursed costs for the replacement of *** ******’s entire heating and air conditioning system upgrade.
  I first came out on 5/5/2020 because the electric and gas company had turned off the gas to the home and locked the gas meter due to multiple gas leaks found inside the property after the storm event that took out the transformer and brought the fire company to *** ******’s home. The main wire to the air conditioner caught fire and burned up the A/C unit from the event.
  *** ****** approved the cost quote through our online system – this was the start of the Covid times, and we already had a paperless, no contact way for us to solve these occurrences for the homeowner’s we serve. He approved the cost quote and signed the work order from his own computer or device.  The lockdown was well under way, Mr. Bolger was not in his home as the services there had been shut down due to the fire. We returned on May 8, 2020, to check and repair the gas leak work order he approved and signed. We got him one step closer to getting his services turned back on by the Power Company.
  *** ****** called us back again to provide an inspection of the HVAC with concerns of the electrical damage the system had sustained. The power company requested this inspection before they would approve the cost of replacing the system for the homeowner, this is the reason for the inspection I was told by *** ******.  We inspected the system on May 13, 2020, and found extensive electrical component damage.
  So, this was our second transaction with *** ****** thus far, and he was excellent at requesting service from us and asking all the right questions to understanding the work orders, cost quotes and invoices as well as the online payment process. I provided *** ****** with several options for replacement of his HVAC system. After several discussions over the telephone *** ****** chose the HVAC comfort system that had just a high enough efficiency rating to get rebates from the power company. He essentially chose the system that got him the most in rebates. The cost quote he approved, in writing, described the system venting through the wall and no longer using the chimney, we had to vent the system he chose by code and the manufactures instruction. So yes, we made holes in the wall of his house to install his venting system for his new high efficiency heating system as code requires. The equipment states that it is 98% AFUE rated, this was top of the line equipment with great warranties from the factory.
  We finished the installation of his New HVAC system June 8, 2020. *** ****** has misspoken about the extended warranty offer. Every one of our price quotes for new equipment states in writing that there are options for the purchase of extended warranties for this new investment. When I asked *** ****** if he would like to purchase the extended warranty labor plan at the conclusion of the installation, which is normally done at time of concluding the purchase, he immediately declined as he did not want to change or delay the process with the power company’s terms on reimbursement of the New HVAC system as he has already submitted information.  That was what *** ****** told me…
  After the install he had a wonderful system to provide comfort, I returned for an A/C and Heat recheck inspection once more a few weeks later and did not see *** ****** again for quite some time.  All was well with the system, and I was never informed of any comfort issues, the family was warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
  Our next Visit to the home of *** ****** was about the house being hot, and very dissatisfied with the Air Conditioner not working about a year after we installed it. We went to see the trouble and found that the condensate flood safety switch had been pulled and dislodge from its attachment point on the A/C drain by its wires and broke the communication wires between the inside and outside unit. After we replaced the component, we checked and serviced the A/C equipment to make sure it was operating up to standards. We found the air filter clogged…It was the same air filter we installed back a year ago, when we installed his new system. It was never changed the whole time, even though we leave a year’s supply of filter changes and provide easy access and instruction for the homeowner to do this themselves.  Because of his repeated verbal dissatisfaction I provided a complementary 100% coupon discount for the repair visit resulting from his own negligence.
  About a year later we were out again Aug of 2022, the AC not working again. It was the same negligent error with condensate water flood safety which was found dislodge from the required location and the cooling system turned off on error. We came and restored the safety switch, and the cooling began to work again, *** ****** decline having his HVAC system serviced and inspected at that time and we only invoiced him our 79.00 service charge.
  We returned later in a few weeks to complete maintenance to his A/C at his request, it was cooling but not as well as it had before.  We inspected the system and found its performance had dropped off due to air coils clogged with dirt, the outside A/C unit needed to be cleaned. We discussed with him some options to get the system working at top level again both heating and air, he picked a good one. He joined our maintenance plan at that time so he could keep on top of the required maintenance the system required and received a 20% discount for that service visit. Which he paid again through our paperless invoicing and payment system.
  He started the Select Plus Maintenance Plan with automatic monthly C.C. payments, since we serviced his system completely on that visit his next visit was scheduled for a heating performance check Jan/Feb when temperatures were low enough to complete a cold weather performance check on the heating system. *** ****** would have gotten a full detailed report on his equipment, when we performed a maintenance inspection visit had he remained a customer and not cancel his maintenance plan contract shortly after he started.
  On January 13, 2023, I again was called out to the Property of *** ******, He said something was wrong with his furnace, he had heat, but it was wet around the base of the furnace. I found that the furnace had failed, it was a catastrophic sudden failure. No repair could be made, the furnace had to be replaced! It was leaking condensate water from the high efficiency heating process and was dripping inside the furnace and showing up around the base of the heating unit. The heater was still under the manufacture warranty, the brand we use has a lifetime unit replacement for the original purchaser for this kind of failure. All other brands only give the part, this brand stands by their products and gives an entire brand-new unit.  *** ****** was informed that he would get a free replacement gas furnace from the manufacture under warranty and that the labor costs associated with the removal and reinstallation would be his responsibility and that I would send him am cost quote for him to approve.
  On January 17, he signed the cost quote #******, the same quote he submitted with his BBB complaint. (He provided an unsigned copy of the document giving him the cost he would need to pay, before any work was performed, a signature and payment of a deposit was required for us to begin). I have a copy of this signed quote in my records. After the warranty credit of the furnace cost, *** ****** was left to pay on the invoice 2374.00 for us to remove the failed unit and install the new replacement unit and set-up the new unit to communicate correctly with the rest of the existing HVAC components of his system. There was a dislodgement of a connector on his existing condensate removal pumping component in the late evening after the new unit was installed on January 18, 2023, which resulted in having the homeowner turn off the heating unit power switch as he was concerned about the condensate water that had come out of the dislodge tube. We came the next morning and inserted the loose connector back into his (I repeat, HIS,) existing condensate pumping component and put the heater back in service. (Turned on the switch) I gave Mr. Bolger a complementary credit on the invoice as a curtesy, we had a long relationship history providing comfort to his home, and he made it known verbally that he was dissatisfied. He now only needed to pay 2124.00 which he did by credit card.
  There were several more calls to the property for this same dislodge condensate water leak from his existing condensate pumping component, each time we could not duplicate or cause any water to appear that looked like the spilled spots *** ****** kept photographing and texting to me about a leak of water.  Each time we came out he demanded another discount on his invoice. 
  About a month after the replacement of *** ******’s heating unit as he enjoyed all the warmth and safety of his brand-new heating unit, he placed a dispute with his credit card company for a fraudulent charge, the credit card company immediately removed the funds from my company bank account and also charged my company a relatively large fee for being dishonest, a nonrefundable fraud fee.
  At the time of this writing am still waiting on the resolution with *** ******’s credit card company about the reversal of the fraud dispute and to find out if the credit card company is going to return the funds removed back to the company account. *** ****** still owes the amount due on the invoice. 
  With full knowledge that he had to pay the labor portion of his warranty replacement, he entered into this agreement for me to restore his home comfort system. After the recent replacement he has continually been evading the reality that he signed and agreed to the replacement and the cost associated. Suddenly now complaining about things that happened in the past, the original 2020 events that were not brought up to me or made an issue back then. Complaining that he did not purchase the extended warranty that was offered at additional cost when he first purchased his home comfort system.
  All claims that *** ****** makes are unsubstantiated, the installation was inspected by the energy provider at the conclusion of the installation, no problems or issues were present, and *** ****** received substantial energy rebates and incentives from the installation of the appliance equipment he selected as proof it passed inspection. (They provide rebates after they come and check the equipment to ensure models qualify for rebates and are installed at the property correctly).
  Furthermore, all Warranties have limits – even if there was an extended warranty or additional concessions from the manufacture from the consumer directly contacting them as outlined in the warranty documents, there was a cost presented to the consumer and a contract was approved for a service as outline with a payment expected. *** ****** agreed, signed, and paid a deposit for this service. Our company provided the service, the new replacement appliance is working correctly.  The on-board computer of the new heating appliance has never had any error codes in its history and confirms a properly operating appliance.
  *** ****** now makes a complaint to the BBB when his account will soon be turned over to collections for non-payment.  All the concessions, discounts and free visits have been given and applied to *** ******’s account; he still owes the balance due, even less than what he agreed when he signed the contract. 
  *** ****** now wants a refund for work that has been done which he has not even paid for…the disputed charges initiated by *** ****** with his credit card removed the funds he paid.  I am trying to collect a debt for services provided and *** ****** continues to claim that he should not have to pay for the replacement service by us even though he agreed and signed the contract when he needed our help to restore his broken heat.  We got his heat restored quickly and processed all the warranty paperwork on his behalf to get him his warranty credit, his system is functioning perfectly and providing his family comfort.  Even though his system is working he continued to find reasons, from past and present why he should not have to pay for a service we provided. He did not purchase the extended warranty back in 2020 when the new system was installed and now that it broke and he discovered that things could happen to a new system and it is his responsibility for the repair service costs, he is trying any tactics to have the repair service cost removed from his responsibility to pay. He has threatened in text messages that he would dispute the credit card payment, which he has done.  Now he made a formal complaint to the BBB and threaten again for legal action for a debt we are trying to collect for services provided. 
  We fully expect the credit card company to return the funds originally paid by *** ****** back to our account. If further legal action for collections is required, significant penalty fees would be assessed as outline in our terms of service. As well as the reversal of any credits, discounts, concessions updating the invoice to reflect the cost before these were applied. The original invoice amount would be due.
  

  Customer response

  06/01/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********   
  I am rejecting this response because: It is laced with errors. My balance for all work done (including the amount I am disputing) was paid in full 100%. 

  The bank did not stop the company's charge to my account. My balance due the company is zero. Claims about collection charges is completely bogus. Again, I'm asking

  for a reimbursement for the service mishaps and documented warranty option failures. He even admits that he provided no documentation of my warranty options.

  Regards,
  
  ******* ******* ****.

  

  Business response

  07/06/2023

  This customer did in fact dispute the credit card payment, see email I received from my credit card processor.

  Your Response is Needed
  Hi there,
  
  I'm reaching out to let you know that your client Charles Bolger has disputed a $937.00 charge with their credit card company for the reason of: Product unacceptable. This payment is applied to invoice #**** in ******.
  What is a dispute?
  A dispute is a process credit card companies use to protect their customers from unauthorized charges or unsatisfactory products and services. The dispute process is put in place when a client questions the validity of a payment they see on their credit card statement.
  What does this mean for you?
  When a dispute is reported, the credit card company automatically returns the disputed funds to your customer right away. These funds are removed from your bank account connected to ****** Payments.
  What to do next?
  There are two options when you receive a disputed payment:
  Challenge the dispute
  
  If you choose to challenge the dispute, you must let us know immediately. Please add any supporting information or documentation demonstrating that the client requested the work, the work was completed or both. Once we receive this information, ****** will work on your behalf to attempt to get the credit card company to reverse its decision.
  
  We must receive evidence before Mar 31, 2023. Unfortunately, if we do not receive a response by the date above, you'll automatically lose the dispute and be responsible for repaying the disputed amount along with any chargeback fees.
  
  Accept the dispute
  
  If you feel the customer is warranted in having their money returned, ****** can accept the dispute on your behalf and no more steps need to be taken. Please respond to this email if you’d like to accept the dispute.
  
  What if you think there’s been a mistake?
  It’s possible that your customer may not recognize the business name on their credit card statement or can’t remember what the charge was specifically for. In these cases, we suggest contacting your client directly.
  How long does it take to resolve a dispute?
  Once the information has been submitted to the credit card company, it can take up to 75 days for a decision. As soon as we know the outcome, we will reach out to you via email. As a side note, ****** is only submitting the information on your behalf, we are not liable for the dispute's outcome or any fees associated.
  
  ______
  
  We are here to help facilitate and guide you through the process. The ****** Dispute team will need written email communication with how you’d like to proceed, so please reply to this email with next steps and any supporting documentation.
  
  If you have general questions about the dispute process, please contact ###-###-####, or start a chat with our support team.
  
  Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
  
  The ****** Dispute Team

  Since this all happened months ago, and ** ****** has continued to enjoy the comfort his HVAC system has provided him.  We provided the service, the service resulted in a working system.  ** ****** wants a reimbursement for the fact that he did not choose to purchase an extended warranty from the manufacture after the original installation several years back.  He was informed in writing that extended warranties are available at additional cost.  Extended warranties are purchased from the manufacture.  We can not return any money to him for something he did not pay for or that he not to purchase.

  He did purchase our installation service, which was done and he now has a operating system after it broke down. There is nothing to reimburse.

  Customer response

  07/19/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Heath Mechanical Services LLC continues to misrepresent the facts and takes no responsibility for service failures. Heath Mechanical Services also demonstrates a lack of basic customer service skills in evidence of the self-indicting written responses provided. The facts are: 

  1. A brand new heat system completely broke down in short order (2 years). Heath Mechanical Services says it's the first time it happened.

  2. No written option for extended labor was provided (vendor continues to lie about this). Only written option provided was for the heater replacement. (Logs for this were previously sent.)

  3. I am also due significant reimbursement due to problems during the re-installation process. Heath Mechanical Services appears to be tone deaf to this. Apparently, Heath Mechanical is doing this to other customers. I will never use Heath Mechanical again. And I won't recommend Heath Mechanical to anyone.

  4. There are parts of the system that leak water but Heath Mechanical says those parts and labor are not covered.
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* ******* ***** 

• Initial Complaint

  01/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hello, On 10/26/2021 I had Heath Mechanical come to my home to fix my boiler. I had the gas company come three days prior to check on heater. I was told by the gas company that the flex hose had a gas leak and I needed an expansion tank. gas company did ask me where was my expansion tank but at the time did not know what he was asking me. I was told to have a HVAC company come and fix problem. When workers arrived I took all three workers up to my back bedroom and pointed out to them the tank I discovered in closet and ask if this is what the gas company was asking about. The owner stated yes and that it was original to the home and flagged it stating it was none functional . They went into the basement and did an assessment and told me it was bad, owner pulled out pad and gave options and had me pick what I thought I needed within my price range. They installed expansion tank and fixed flex hose totaling 1560.00  .Two days later the original tank started leaking, they returned and capped tank, next day the dining room ceiling stared leaking so they came back opened up ceiling and removed a piece of pipe which cause the radiator in dining room to stop working.They returned again and could not get radiator to work and know want me to pay around 6000.00 to have repaired stating the ceiling in basement needs to be opened up ,which need to be subcontracted out so they can get to pipe for radiator and 3000.00 just to get started and was told not sure what the cost with be for the job to be completed. I believe I never needed the expansion tank they installed because the original one was functional . I want them to repair my heater correctly.

  

  Business response

  01/16/2022

  We were able to provide ********* heat to her home in the fall of 2021 even though another contractor had ripped out all the critical piping and heating components.

  We got the NO HEAT call from the customer that the Gas company had turned off the gas to her heating unit and Red Tagged the unit as having no expansion tank.  When we arrived at the house, me and two apprentice technicians discovered that the basement had recently been converted to a finished basement and that all the heat piping with critical components had been ripped out and removed so a ceiling could be put up in the basement space. That basement remodel contractor reconnected each radiator with flexible plastic tubing incorrectly to a well maintained 11 year old heating boiler.  They had not even bothered to connect water to the unit, so the heating system was completely empty of water and the customer was cold.
  We informed the customer of the tragedy that had occurred with the removal of all the critical components and let Stephane know that things were up in the air about how the heating system would work since it was empty and in a non-functioning condition.  We had several options for ******** to choose from on our pricing page in our ****. She had chosen a good one.  Before we started working, she wanted me to speak with her home warranty company,which I did.  When I explained to the customer service of the warranty company that the system had these critical components removed, they rejected the claim as not being any kind of breakdown and that it was not a covered issue.
  ********* wanted to get the heat on, we had an option that would put some of these missing components back in her heating system and see what would happen when we filled the system with water. She paid for the work and we added several critical components that were needed and the expansion tank (this was a requirement as it was Red Tagged from the gas company for this issue), and gave the heating unit a good safety and combustion check.  Once we filled up the system, we found nothing leaking at that time. Even the old original expansion tank with numerous rust spots embedded into the plaster wall located in an upstairs closet from the turn of the century did not show any signs of leaks. Thus was the reasoning that it had been abandon years ago. The heating was working in all but a few radiators, they were having air issues due to the flexible plastic tubing that was used, but we did manage to get some heat from all but one, the dining room radiator.
  However, all was not good, in the days to follow, water was found on the upstairs floor from that old expansion tank, which we promptly took out of service since we installed a modern version where it was required near the heating unit. Then more stains and drips through the ceiling into the dining room started soon after.  We came again and found it was a heating pipe leaking from a rusted pipe fitting on the old original heat pipe in the ceiling. ********* wanted me to speak again with her home warranty company which did cover some minor amounts based on the six foot of pipe we had to remove to repair the leak. Even though we had given her a price to open her ceiling to make the repair, we discounted the invoice 100%and did not charge her for the leak repair.  But as time went on, more and more issues related to the contractor who had finished the basement and the removed heating pipes & critical components were continuing to cause heating problems.  
  The main stop of any work or assessment was that the basement now had a drywall ceiling covering all the heat piping and left the question of how the basement contractor installed that flexible plastic pipe.It was determined that nothing could be done to restore the heat to that one dining room radiator and correct the heating issue in a non-drastic way.  The Piping system would need to be restored in a correct manner to have a functional heating system once again.  This would require the basement ceiling to be removed. Stephane wanted an estimate of what it would cost to restore her heat to have that last radiator working in the dining room.  I let her know that the basement ceiling would need to be removed so I could see what needed to be done to fix the issues. The worst case would be a $6000.00 renovation to restore the heat piping system to correct water flow. Since we are heating, cooling and plumbing specialists,removing an entire drywall basement ceiling was not the type of work that we did. Stephane was informed to find another specialist to have this done. Once the ceiling was removed, we would be able to see what the issues were with that single non-functioning radiator. Maybe even find ways to get it working with less cost.
  We got the heat back on for *********, even though we were faced with some challenges left for us by an unqualified basement remodeler.  It was a great job by the gas company for catching this dangerous situation before it turned into something much worst like a catastrophic fire from operating with no water, they did the job perfectly.  Its never good when we find a heating system taken out of service such as this one was, but we did manage to get all but one radiator to heat *********s home and keep her warm so far this winter. 
  We are hoping to see the ceiling removed soon so we can help get the piping restored back to prime condition for you ********. Let us know when we can continue to help you.  Give us a call ************ or you can request service from our website and through email. www.HeathMechanicalServices.com

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩