HVAC Solutions

Review: This company was a sub-contractor to our builder. They installed a boiler system with baseboard radiators under contract in our home during construction from 2010-2011. This system had catastrophic leaks twice causing significant damage to the home (both times exceeding $8,000 ea). The system was examined and several faults found, including poor installation workmanship, faulty connections, and pipe that had printed on it "not for heating applications, for potable water use only". These radiators had to be removed in order to prevent further catastrophic damage as all were of the same materials. We had notified this company of this problem, but they refuse to respond. Another Heating and Air company had to repair the system and replace that portion of the system that failed (at our expense). HVAC Solutions used faulty material in the initial installation and also in areas was found that the installation was done wrong. (Over-torked connections, loose connections, wrong type of piping and mislabeling system components.) Documents, photographs, and materials available for all information provided.Desired Settlement: We have asked for a refund of initial installation plus the cost of repairs not covered by our Insurance due to the catastrophic failure of the system. The amount is $22,833.79. We would also like to report this negligence to the Revdex.com and contractor board of professional licensing. The company has refused to work with us since the installation and the first catastrophic leak in January 2012.

Business

Response:

In jan 2012 the [redacted]' had a radiator failure. We told them that it may be under the manufactures warranty. The problem was with the factory fitting on the radiators were failing. This was out of our warranty. We gave them the manufactures information to contact them them regarding the failure. in 2012. Mr [redacted] contacted me May of this year 2015 telling us that other radiators had failed and he had gotten another company to come in and he had replaced equipment. He stated he wanted us to pay for the damages and new equipment Mr [redacted] brought by bills and pictures to me in May. From the pictures the radiators are what failed again. I told him,the pex that he stated was in question was not what failed. From the pictures it appeared the fittings had failed again. . We were not aware of any of this until May. He never came by our office in November 2014 when he said this happen. [redacted]

Business

Response:

This letter is in response to complaint received by Mr. [redacted].In January 2012 we received a call from Mrs. [redacted]. She said that one of the radiators we had installed at their home had failed. Our technicians responded to the call. They arrived and found that upon inspection the radiator had failed at the brass fitting connection that goes into the radiator. We told the [redacted]' that all the radiators we installed were no longer under warranty. We told them they needed to contact the manufacture due how the radiator failed.The manufactures name was given to the [redacted]' so they could contact them regarding the failure. We told them it may be under warranty with manufacture.We replaced the section of radiator that was bad and got the customers heat working. They were furious with us and expressed that to us at the time. We did not charge the customer for our trip or the radiator on this day. We felt that if they were going to contact manufacture to pay for the damages to there home. At a later time we could get with our Vendor and they could contact the manufacture on our behalf for our services. Our relationship with the customer did not end well.End of April ??? 2015 not sure exact day.Mr. [redacted] walked in our office of HVAC and introduced himself. Mr. [redacted] explained to me that he had another catastrophic failure on other radiators in his home in November 2014.He said he had called another company in to replace equipment and he had gotten his home repaired for the water damage. Mr. [redacted] handed me a folder of pictures and bills and said you are responsible and I want a check for the new equipment installation and my home repairs by a certain date. He stated, I have a really really nasty, expensive attorney and he is coming after you if you do not pay this bill.Mr. [redacted] did not come to our office in November 2014 to let us know of these problems. Our doors are open Monday through Friday for any one to walk in during business hours. 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Just like he walked into my office the end of April.Mr. [redacted] states that the job was faulty installation. From the pictures it appears that the radiators failed again just like January 2012. Mr. [redacted] makes a comment regarding Pex. The pex in question did not fail. From the pictures he left with me it was radiator failure again. (brass fitting)We were never given the opportunity November 2014 to make repairs or find out what actuality happened. Mr. [redacted] I am sorry the radiators failure. Equipment failure was a factory failure. This failure had nothing to do with ourinstallation.[redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer 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.The response given is grossly inaccurate.1. [redacted] and [redacted] NEVER told us the name of the manufacturer, nor provided us any written documentation regarding the manufacturer of any portion of the heating system when it was installed. The warranty should have been provided for at least one year with our builder. The first catastrophic leak happened within 6 months of the installation and Mr. [redacted] replaced the one fitting, refused to talk to us about it, left no documentation or information for us, and the builder, Mr. [redacted] took care of the rest of the damages under our Building Warranty.2. The exact words regarding the fitting failure from [redacted] was "it is not possible for this to leak" He also tried to say we "tampered with it". Mr. [redacted] took the part with them and when I inquired about the reason for the failure and warranty, they said if they brought me the failed part back, they would charge me for the service call and the part. In other words, they replaced the part and did not charge us, because they did not want to accept responsibility for installing "faulty" parts. 3. The reason for our anger is because they refused to fix the problem (that they caused) and refused to give us the information we asked for,i.e. manufacturers documentation, warranty, and information.The response that was given to you is a false, untrue and inaccurate statement. Our builder, [redacted] can validate this.I have recently learned that the fittings that were used were faulty and there is a lawsuit regarding these. I found this information on-line in a search. But we as the consumer would never know this until a failure occurs and even then have to go to the company who installed them to get the problem fixed. HVAC Solutions used these fittings, by their choice, to install these heaters. Based on the date since this lawsuit began on the fittings, and the dates of our installation, it is likely that Mr. [redacted] was aware of this problem and withheld this information at the time of the first catastrophic leak. They refused to give us manufacture information at the time they claim to have referred us to the manufacturer. They never provided this verbally or in writing. I was not aware of any manufacturer name until the system was being ripped out of the walls and I could see the individual parts, only a few months ago, from today. This is blatant misrepresentation of the facts on [redacted]'s and Mr. [redacted]'s part.In addition and this fact is KEY to our case, they used tubing not suitable for heating applications, also labeled throughout the heater system installed in our home as such. None of the parts they installed were predetermined or pre-inspected by us or the builder. The failure is entirely the responsibility of HVAC Solutions. We paid them in full for a NEW, functional, warranty, installation. It failed within the first six months and again this past November to the point where the entire system had to be removed. HVAC Solutions is responsible for this, not us.We have reported this case to the Attorney General of Virginia, and the board of professional licensing at the advise of our legal counsel.Regards,

[redacted]

Business

Response:

I stand by what my previous letter states. I did receive the letter from the Attorney General and sent them the same letter I sent to Revdex.com. I also told the Attorney General that our insurance carrier is now involved. [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer 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.

The business associate is making a false statement. She (or HVAC Solutions rep.) did not contact their Insurance and file a claim. We presented this case to their insurance ourselves to conduct this investigation. While there is a claim investigation ongoing with their insurance company, it is pending decision. The liability of this catastrophic failure is still the responsibility of HVAC Solutions not the manufacturer or consumer. We also contacted the manufacturer, who have stated that they did not sell this system to HVAC Solutions, the parts that failed were not produced by this manufacturer and that the installation of this system was not done in accordance with manufacturer's installation guidelines. The only parts that were made by them were the heater panels and those were (they assumed) purchased by HVAC Solutions from a wholesaler, not from the factory direct. This is based on our forwarding them the information regarding the failure and providing them the pictures. HVAC Solutions did not recall that we have all e-mails from the 2012 failure where they made different statements than what they claim now and that the manufacture info they gave us was after month's of asking for it.The reason this complaint remains unresolved is that the representatives of this company have handled/responded dishonestly and refuse to work with us or let us resolve this with the business owner whose license and business should be in jeopardy due to this conduct. They did not contact or initiate the actions with their insurance company, we did. They refused to even provide the builder who hired them any assistance, documentation or resolution to this matter. They claim to have had a one year warranty, but refused to address this during the first failure only three months after it was installed in 2012. They claimed such failures were not possible and were going to charge us for the first repair only because we wanted to SEE the failed part. Their business practices in our experience has been abysmal. In all of our years, (my husband a physician, myself a retired Air Force veteran officer), we have never experienced a company that has treated us with such disrespect and dishonesty. They have consistently lied to us and hidden material facts from us that could have prevented the second catastrophic failure and all the subsequent damages. Based on the information we do have, the deception was intentional so that we would not know about the installation mistakes. When it happened the second time, they lied about the warranty and claimed no liability. The reason for the failure was not a manufacturer defect, it was due to a faulty installation (using inappropriate material and installing not in accordance with guidelines from the manufacturer). These are documented facts, that are also in the hands of the insurance investigator. In closing, it was the dishonest and unethical actions by this company that prompted this complaint. Irrespective of the financial outcome that results from the insurance claim, we are still concerned about their business practices. If these business practices of HVAC Solutions are allowed to continue, it would be to the financial detriment of a young family or elderly couple or anyone who may not be able to recover from such actions here in our community. This is why we presented this complaint to you, to protect other consumers in our community. This issue has had a negative impact on our ability to sell our high end home and delayed our retirement plans, but we can handle this, but many folks can not. Thank you for your assistance in this process,With warm regards,

Business

Response:

I stand by what my previous letter states. I did receive the letter from the Attorney General and sent them the same letter I sent to Revdex.com. I also told the Attorney General that our insurance carrier is now involved. [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer 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.

First of all the letters from Mrs. [redacted] contain information that are blatantly false. She is lying to you as she has lied to us. She states she provided the same response to the Attorney General's office which we have reviewed and contain the s same falsehoods. Also, she stated it is in the hands of their insurance company. This is a true statement, however, Mrs. [redacted] failed to inform you that she did not submit a claim to their insurance company, likely because of the fraudulent nature of their actions. My husband submitted the claim in person. My husband and I have taken the time and trouble to identify to you and the Attorney General an unethical and unscrupulous business operating in the State of Virginia. It is our understanding that it is your charter to deal with these types of businesses to avoid further damage to the community and o the reputation of VA businesses as a whole. This is why we strongly refute their statement and hope that you take action before they can hurt other people.

Regards,

Review: I have not heard a word from them either by mail or phone. I would like to resolve my problems with them after the house fire they created when trying to rectify a frozen heat pump. Please let this serve as notice to file a formal complaint against HVAC Solutions. Desired Settlement: see Attached document

Business

Response:

In December we responded to a no heat call. The customers system was a chunk of ice. The Technician determined that it appeared to have a bad defrost board. He would not be able to check if there were other problems untill this board was replaced. Soon as he put power on the new board something shorted. This is what caused the damage. My Technician started to repair all problems caused by the short. Even when we thought the unit was repaired it still had problems. The Technician went back and replaced more components and found reversing valve bad and it was replaced.

Then Ms [redacted] called and ask us to send her a certificate of insurance. She said she was going to call other contractors to inspect our work and make sure everything was ok. At this point we felt that she was concerned of our workmanship and that if she was getting other Contractors we felt it would be best if the other contractors did any further repairs. We notified our insurance company and let them know what happened and they contacted Ms [redacted].

We felt Ms [redacted] lost all confidence in our ability to repair this unit. Even though her heat pump is 12 years old. We felt that we would be unable to repair her unit to her satisfaction due to her loss of confidence in ability.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer 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.

I have received reimbursement from [redacted] Insurance company, however I have never received an apology for the fire and damage that ensued after their attempts to repair the heat pump. In my estimation that would have been an appropriate way to have acted professionally.

Regards,

Business

Response:

March 20, 2014

This is a letter of apology from [redacted] and I and HVAC Solutions, regarding the damage to your home December last year. We are still not sure of the cause. We are just glad our insurance company took care of all the expenses you incurred.

[redacted] and I also came to your home in December to look at the damage and also expressed our apologies at that time. Again our sincere apology.

Wanda Schaff

Owner

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.

Regards,