Absolute Comfort Cooling & Heating

DOS – 6/17/15 Homeowner Complained unit not working properly.  Upon Inspection the service technician checked the temperature at the thermostat it read 84 degrees. He then went on roof and attached his gauges to the service ports. Low side indicated movement from approximately 135 to...

148 psi and super heat over 30 degrees.Found: Air Flow restriction to indoor coil. Restriction was caused by panel insulation that had separated from panel and fell towards the coil, and was blocking air flow.The technician then performed repair and glued the insulation to panel and used metal tape to allow glue to set. Retested unit: Temp split 21 degrees and super heat 11 degrees.Charged: $75.00 diagnostic fee only, technician did not charge homeowner for the repair of insulation.2nd Call – Homeowner then called after hours on Saturday, June 27, 2015 and spoke with the on call dispatcher and complained unit not working properly. The dispatcher informed the homeowner that after hours emergency calls are subject to an overtime rate of $150.00 per hour. The homeowner was then scheduled for Monday, June 29, 2015.DOS – 6/29/15Inspection/Found: The service technician found gauge left on service port of unit. The gauge caused a small Freon leak. This is not uncommon for Freon to leak when applying gauges to check unit.  Repair: The technician then added 8 ounces of R-410A Freon to bring unit up to proper charge. The technician then apologized to the homeowner for leaving his gauge attached to the service port and explained it caused a small Freon leak. He also informed the homeowner that he brought the unit up to proper charge.Homeowner then complained the unit was making noise.  The technician then tightened all the sheet metal panels and checked condenser fan motor. The condenser fan motor was making noise, but was still running and drawing low amps 1.7 amps.  Homeowner’s unit still has a manufacturer warranty for parts only, not labor.  The technician also explained that the manufacturer warranty only covers the motor when it fails not if the motor is still working. The homeowner was quoted $380.00 for labor only to replace the condenser fan motor at time of failure.The technician did not charge the homeowner for the second service call or for Freon.Homeowner’s Comment – “Absolute Comfort now expects me to pay to fix the damage that they caused.”Absolute Comfort’s Response – We do not wish any homeowner to be unhappy with the service provided, but we do not cause units to fail to promote service. That is not the way Absolute Comfort conducts business. The service technician’s are not paid on commission and paid only an hourly wage. Absolute Comfort does this to prevent the technician’s from selling unnecessary repairs. The technician did not cause the condenser fan motor to make noise from the gauge being left on the service port.Absolute Comfort Cooling & Heating would be willing to refund the homeowner the initial service call fee of $75.00 only and feel that is fair, since the technician did leave his gauges behind. The unit was properly charged back up due to the small leak and at no charge to the homeowner. Absolute Comfort Cooling & Heating is not willing to do any other repairs at no cost to the homeowner.The homeowner has a manufacturer warranty on parts and does not have to use Absolute Comfort Cooling & Heating for the parts to be covered under the manufacturer warranty. The homeowner can contact the manufacturer and have them recommend another service company. We do not want the customer to be unhappy and feel the refund of $75.00 is fair to the homeowner. Please inform the homeowner that a check of $75.00 has been mailed out. Thank you for your assistance regarding this matter.

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.On June 17th while your technician was at my home he also did do a service checkup which is noted on invoice #[redacted] along with fixing the insulation on my AC unit. When your tech was leaving my home he told me "my unit was running great and that I shouldn't have any problems with it for years to come". I was very glad to hear that. This does not sound like an AC unit that has any problems and nothing is noted on the invoice.On June 27th when I was talking to [redacted] your on call technician he did tell me that if a piece of insulation had come loose, that was something that they would fix for free. Which your technician did do.On June 29th when the same technician returned to my home he went up on the roof. When the technician came off the roof he started by apologizing to me saying it was all his fault. That a seal had gotten stuck which he had not seen causing my Freon to leak out. I know nothing about any gauges being attached and or left behind by the technician. I was also told by the technician that my compressor (I do not remember him calling it a condenser fan motor but he might have) was now over heating. Your technician also told me that if I went into my backyard I would be able to hear it, which I did after the technician left. If I hadn't been told that it was making a noise I would never know what that noise was from, it is not a very loud noise. I never told or complained to your technician that the unit was making any noise.After receiving a copy of the invoice #[redacted] from June 29th it now shows that I have a condenser fan motor that is dragging or over heating as I was told (damaged).With the temperatures in Phoenix being 113-115 degrees during the weekend of June 27, 28 and 29th and even hotter on the roof, caused my AC Unit to work extra hard to keep my house cooled down due to lack of Freon, causing my unit to become damaged.I have a 5 1/2 year old unit that was in great working condition until your company came to my home. I do not feel it is fair that I have to wait for my unit to fail before getting it fixed. There is nothing worst then coming home from work or trying to sleep at night while waiting to get a unit fixed.Absolute Comfort Cooling and Heating needs to pay for the damage they caused to my AC Unit, not me.Regards,[redacted]

Review: On June 17th a service tech from Absolute Comfort Cooling and Heating serviced my 5 year old AC unit. I was having a cooling issue. He found a piece of insulation from inside my AC unit had come off the wall and was laying over my compressor which he glued back up, he serviced my unit and found nothing wrong with it. I have the invoice to prove it. 10 days later my unit stopped cooling my home again, this was on a Sat. I called Absolute but they would not send a tech out unless I paid them $150 which I did not have. Monday the same tech came to my home and found a Freon leak, the tech started apologizing to me saying that it was all his fault, that when he was disconnecting his gauges a seal got stuck causing my Freon to leak out. He filled the Freon back up and then informed me that my compressor was now over heating. I believe that this damage was caused by lack of Freon, causing my unit to over work and over heat. Absolute Comfort now expects me to pay to fix the damage that they caused.Desired Settlement: I believe they should fix the damage that they caused at no cost to me.

Business

Response:

DOS – 6/17/15 Homeowner Complained unit not working properly. Upon Inspection the service technician checked the temperature at the thermostat it read 84 degrees. He then went on roof and attached his gauges to the service ports. Low side indicated movement from approximately 135 to 148 psi and super heat over 30 degrees.Found: Air Flow restriction to indoor coil. Restriction was caused by panel insulation that had separated from panel and fell towards the coil, and was blocking air flow.The technician then performed repair and glued the insulation to panel and used metal tape to allow glue to set. Retested unit: Temp split 21 degrees and super heat 11 degrees.Charged: $75.00 diagnostic fee only, technician did not charge homeowner for the repair of insulation.2nd Call – Homeowner then called after hours on Saturday, June 27, 2015 and spoke with the on call dispatcher and complained unit not working properly. The dispatcher informed the homeowner that after hours emergency calls are subject to an overtime rate of $150.00 per hour. The homeowner was then scheduled for Monday, June 29, 2015.DOS – 6/29/15Inspection/Found: The service technician found gauge left on service port of unit. The gauge caused a small Freon leak. This is not uncommon for Freon to leak when applying gauges to check unit. Repair: The technician then added 8 ounces of R-410A Freon to bring unit up to proper charge. The technician then apologized to the homeowner for leaving his gauge attached to the service port and explained it caused a small Freon leak. He also informed the homeowner that he brought the unit up to proper charge.Homeowner then complained the unit was making noise. The technician then tightened all the sheet metal panels and checked condenser fan motor. The condenser fan motor was making noise, but was still running and drawing low amps 1.7 amps. Homeowner’s unit still has a manufacturer warranty for parts only, not labor. The technician also explained that the manufacturer warranty only covers the motor when it fails not if the motor is still working. The homeowner was quoted $380.00 for labor only to replace the condenser fan motor at time of failure.The technician did not charge the homeowner for the second service call or for Freon.Homeowner’s Comment – “Absolute Comfort now expects me to pay to fix the damage that they caused.”Absolute Comfort’s Response – We do not wish any homeowner to be unhappy with the service provided, but we do not cause units to fail to promote service. That is not the way Absolute Comfort conducts business. The service technician’s are not paid on commission and paid only an hourly wage. Absolute Comfort does this to prevent the technician’s from selling unnecessary repairs. The technician did not cause the condenser fan motor to make noise from the gauge being left on the service port.Absolute Comfort Cooling & Heating would be willing to refund the homeowner the initial service call fee of $75.00 only and feel that is fair, since the technician did leave his gauges behind. The unit was properly charged back up due to the small leak and at no charge to the homeowner. Absolute Comfort Cooling & Heating is not willing to do any other repairs at no cost to the homeowner.The homeowner has a manufacturer warranty on parts and does not have to use Absolute Comfort Cooling & Heating for the parts to be covered under the manufacturer warranty. The homeowner can contact the manufacturer and have them recommend another service company. We do not want the customer to be unhappy and feel the refund of $75.00 is fair to the homeowner. Please inform the homeowner that a check of $75.00 has been mailed out. Thank you for your assistance regarding this matter.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.On June 17th while your technician was at my home he also did do a service checkup which is noted on invoice #[redacted] along with fixing the insulation on my AC unit. When your tech was leaving my home he told me "my unit was running great and that I shouldn't have any problems with it for years to come". I was very glad to hear that. This does not sound like an AC unit that has any problems and nothing is noted on the invoice.On June 27th when I was talking to [redacted] your on call technician he did tell me that if a piece of insulation had come loose, that was something that they would fix for free. Which your technician did do.On June 29th when the same technician returned to my home he went up on the roof. When the technician came off the roof he started by apologizing to me saying it was all his fault. That a seal had gotten stuck which he had not seen causing my Freon to leak out. I know nothing about any gauges being attached and or left behind by the technician. I was also told by the technician that my compressor (I do not remember him calling it a condenser fan motor but he might have) was now over heating. Your technician also told me that if I went into my backyard I would be able to hear it, which I did after the technician left. If I hadn't been told that it was making a noise I would never know what that noise was from, it is not a very loud noise. I never told or complained to your technician that the unit was making any noise.After receiving a copy of the invoice #[redacted] from June 29th it now shows that I have a condenser fan motor that is dragging or over heating as I was told (damaged).With the temperatures in Phoenix being 113-115 degrees during the weekend of June 27, 28 and 29th and even hotter on the roof, caused my AC Unit to work extra hard to keep my house cooled down due to lack of Freon, causing my unit to become damaged.I have a 5 1/2 year old unit that was in great working condition until your company came to my home. I do not feel it is fair that I have to wait for my unit to fail before getting it fixed. There is nothing worst then coming home from work or trying to sleep at night while waiting to get a unit fixed.Absolute Comfort Cooling and Heating needs to pay for the damage they caused to my AC Unit, not me.Regards,[redacted]