George Henry's Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling

Response Letter: In response to [redacted], we were called out to his residence (45 minute drive-each way-outside of Payson, and quite a bit of the way on a dirt road) for a furnace inspection on 08/19/2014.  When my technician arrived, he inspected the...

furnace. He found that the furnace was running, but not on auto, it had the wrong thermostat.  He explained to [redacted] that the wrong thermostat was wired to the furnace, and this is why the furnace could only be turned on and off manually. If he had the correct thermostat, then it could run on auto.  However, my technician did not have the correct thermostat on his truck. [redacted] said that he was an electrician and would come into town, buy it at our shop, and install it himself. Before my technician left, [redacted] asked him about the furnace being noisy, and if he could fix this problem.  My technician told him that his furnace is a Lennox Pulse, and these types of furnaces are noisy. There is nothing you can do about the noise; they are just made this way.  I have sent a link that shows how noisy these particular furnaces are: [redacted]://[redacted]?*=**-[redacted] When [redacted] came into our shop to buy the thermostat, he stressed that he was not happy with my technicians answer about the furnace being noisy. I told him that I was sorry he was not satisfied with the answer, but the answer is fact. I told him that we could work up an estimate for a new furnace install if he could not live with the noise. He declined. [redacted] called me back a few days later to tell me that the new thermostat install did absolutely nothing. He stated that he still had to operate the furnace manually, shutting it off and on, and it did not work automatically.I asked him if he was sure it was wired (installed) correctly. He assured me that it was installed correctly, that he was an electrician for [redacted] for years, and would wire power lines. He demanded that I send someone back out at no charge to him.Note: High voltage and low voltage wiring are completely different.I told him that I would set up an appointment for my technician to come back out, and if the thermostat was operating exactly the same as previous (without running the furnace on automatic) that I would not charge him. However, if there was error on his part while installing the thermostat, I would have to charge him for the trip. He agreed.My technician came back out to [redacted] house on 08/26/2014, and found that [redacted] did not wire the thermostat correctly. He did not even connect the wire that controls the automatic feature. My technician wired the thermostat correctly. Upon leaving the furnace was operational on automatic setting. When my technician tried to collect the bill, [redacted] told my technician that he wasn't going to pay. My technician called me to tell me this. I told him to return.Keep in mind this is a 45 minute to hour trip to his house, partly on dirt road, 45 minutes to hour back, and also labor time that my technician was there. I have to pay my technician for his time, fuel for the vehicle, insurances, etc. My husband called [redacted] and told him that he needed to pay his bill. [redacted] told my husband that our technician did not fix the noise problem that he was having with his furnace.My husband told him that there is no way to fix the noise problem with the furnace, the Lennox pulse furnaces are made this way, and that he needed to pay his bill. When [redacted] showed up to pay his bill, I discounted it $95. I also discounted his first bill by $55. [redacted] is claiming that he had another company come out and fix his noise problem on his furnace, I seriously doubt this. As you can see, if you go to the link I provided, you can clearly see that these furnaces are noisy at start up, they are made this way.I would like to know the contractors name and phone number that [redacted] is claiming fixed the problem. I honestly think that [redacted] just wants a refund. On the thermostat, the old one was not the correct one, and would not run on auto, so I cannot see how the old one is working on auto settings. [redacted] understood that, yes, the old thermostat would run the furnace, it was his option to have a thermostat that would control temperature settings automatically. Again, I think [redacted] just wants free work. I also think he is dissatisfied that we could not fix a start-up noise problem with his furnace, which I still believe is making the same noise.  Thank you,[redacted]

We hired George Henry's Plumbing to come out to home at the Rim Club in Payson, Arizona to look at a leaky faucet. What should have cost $50-$100 wound up costing $500.00. The contractor looked like he just got out of jail and made a big mess in our home. We had to get the carpet cleaned afterward. When we called to speak to the owner Mike R[redacted] he was rude and unprofessional. Eventually we called our credit card company and disputed the charges. A little research also showed that their bond would not cover any real extensive damage. So if they cause water damage or flooding the homeowner is in jeopardy. We do not recommend this company for any sort of plumbing work at all. There are other plumbing company's in town.

The nickel and dime kings: If you choose to do business with this company be sure to get everything in writing and if you are given an option for an upgrade for "a little more money" you'd better get a definitive price. I had work done at my home that was to cost $700.00 including time and materials. My bill ended up being $990.66. Apparently, stainless steel sink stoppers are worth their weight in gold. I fully expected to pay a little more than the quote because I was told these fixtures cost a "little more" and shame on me, I didn't ask if my $700.00 quote would go up over 40% of the original quote as a result of this phenomenal upgrade . A return trip was required through no fault of my own or theirs. So, again, I had no problem with paying some extra but almost $300.00? Of course, their office may be a little over a mile from my house. Hence the justification.

I had had an earlier problem with the installation of a soft water system. Appointments were missed twice and I canceled the order. The business owner called the next day and apologized profusely and to their credit they gave me a discount on the installation. So, I relented and let them do the job. The quality of both jobs are not at issue and I am satisfied with their employees. The problem is that I feel I was gouged on the price and I resent the nonchalant manner in which it was done.

During the first trip I was informed that we were at about $300.00 in time and material. I raised no objection because I couldn't put my hands on the quote I was given. I assumed (silly me) that the overcharge would be reversed when I located the paperwork. I did find it and it didn't work. Reluctantly, I paid the bill but I will obviously never use their service again. The difference in price isn't worth a litigious effort nor the heart burn of a continued fight. I just hope that people read this review before agreeing to have this company do any work on their behalf.

There have been two complaints filed against the firm in the past month. More forthcoming when AG investigators visit.

Review: George Henry's plumbing was called out to investigate a noise problem with my Furnace located at [redacted]. On their invoice they stated the service call was for a seasonal check, it was not, it was for a noise problem. George Henry's plumbing did nothing to repair the noise however they sold me a new thermostat which did nothing to repair the noise, they apparently thought I had a heating problem, which I did not, the furnace always did heat, just made a lot of noise on startup. I installed the new thermostat the same way the old one was installed. Still the noise, George Henry's plumbing then returned and said I installed the thermostat incorrectly. They then hooked up a blue wire that was never hooked up before. Still made noise. They stated the old thermostat was not correct for gas pack. (the old thermostat worked perfectly for years, I don't get their logic.

They stated at that point the the noise was from a screw type heat exchanger. I then called their competition to look at the furnace, they figured out the noise problem within 15 minutes. They found the air shutter to be missing on the burner unit and the burner unit has been over heated, also he stated this was not a screw type heat exchanger.

I then removed the new thermostat and reinstalled the old thermostat and hooked it up the same way it was installed for the all the years we were at this house, (with the blue wire disconnected) . The furnace warms turn on and off at the selected temperatures with the fan in the auto position, everything works as it should except for the noise at start up. I told them I didn't think I was responsible for the charges, they then threatened to take me to collections. They were very unprofessional on the phone, would not give me a chance to explain. Through the whole process involving the thermostat I kept repeating it didn't make any sense as for years the furnace operated correctly with the existing thermostat.Desired Settlement: Return the money for everything but the thermostat and the filters. I will use the thermostat elsewhere as it has been used for a short period of time.

Business

Response:

Response Letter: In response to [redacted], we were called out to his residence (45 minute drive-each way-outside of Payson, and quite a bit of the way on a dirt road) for a furnace inspection on 08/19/2014. When my technician arrived, he inspected the furnace. He found that the furnace was running, but not on auto, it had the wrong thermostat. He explained to [redacted] that the wrong thermostat was wired to the furnace, and this is why the furnace could only be turned on and off manually. If he had the correct thermostat, then it could run on auto. However, my technician did not have the correct thermostat on his truck. [redacted] said that he was an electrician and would come into town, buy it at our shop, and install it himself. Before my technician left, [redacted] asked him about the furnace being noisy, and if he could fix this problem. My technician told him that his furnace is a Lennox Pulse, and these types of furnaces are noisy. There is nothing you can do about the noise; they are just made this way. I have sent a link that shows how noisy these particular furnaces are: [redacted]://[redacted].[redacted].[redacted]?*=**-[redacted] When [redacted] came into our shop to buy the thermostat, he stressed that he was not happy with my technicians answer about the furnace being noisy. I told him that I was sorry he was not satisfied with the answer, but the answer is fact. I told him that we could work up an estimate for a new furnace install if he could not live with the noise. He declined. [redacted] called me back a few days later to tell me that the new thermostat install did absolutely nothing. He stated that he still had to operate the furnace manually, shutting it off and on, and it did not work automatically.I asked him if he was sure it was wired (installed) correctly. He assured me that it was installed correctly, that he was an electrician for [redacted] for years, and would wire power lines. He demanded that I send someone back out at no charge to him.Note: High voltage and low voltage wiring are completely different.I told him that I would set up an appointment for my technician to come back out, and if the thermostat was operating exactly the same as previous (without running the furnace on automatic) that I would not charge him. However, if there was error on his part while installing the thermostat, I would have to charge him for the trip. He agreed.My technician came back out to [redacted] house on 08/26/2014, and found that [redacted] did not wire the thermostat correctly. He did not even connect the wire that controls the automatic feature. My technician wired the thermostat correctly. Upon leaving the furnace was operational on automatic setting. When my technician tried to collect the bill, [redacted] told my technician that he wasn't going to pay. My technician called me to tell me this. I told him to return.Keep in mind this is a 45 minute to hour trip to his house, partly on dirt road, 45 minutes to hour back, and also labor time that my technician was there. I have to pay my technician for his time, fuel for the vehicle, insurances, etc. My husband called [redacted] and told him that he needed to pay his bill. [redacted] told my husband that our technician did not fix the noise problem that he was having with his furnace.My husband told him that there is no way to fix the noise problem with the furnace, the Lennox pulse furnaces are made this way, and that he needed to pay his bill. When [redacted] showed up to pay his bill, I discounted it $95. I also discounted his first bill by $55. [redacted] is claiming that he had another company come out and fix his noise problem on his furnace, I seriously doubt this. As you can see, if you go to the link I provided, you can clearly see that these furnaces are noisy at start up, they are made this way.I would like to know the contractors name and phone number that [redacted] is claiming fixed the problem. I honestly think that [redacted] just wants a refund. On the thermostat, the old one was not the correct one, and would not run on auto, so I cannot see how the old one is working on auto settings. [redacted] understood that, yes, the old thermostat would run the furnace, it was his option to have a thermostat that would control temperature settings automatically. Again, I think [redacted] just wants free work. I also think he is dissatisfied that we could not fix a start-up noise problem with his furnace, which I still believe is making the same noise. Thank you,[redacted]