RL Plumbing

On January 3, 2018, RL Plumbing received an emergency call from Ms. ***, saying that her water heater was leaking. We installed this water heater in January 2016. As a result of the extreme sub-freezing temperatures and inches of snow in the area at the time, we found that her sump pump discharge line was frozen and had caused the sump pump discharge line to crack. The sump pump had built up pressure in the discharge line, as well as the check valve, causing the check valve to fail. RL Plumbing also noticed that the condensate drain lines for the HVAC system were draining into the sump pump crock. This caused the sump pump turn on, resulting in pressure in the sump pump discharge line, which caused the discharge line and the check valve to crack/break.
At this time, RL Plumbing notified Ms. as to her options to correct this issue, along with the cost for each option. The best option, which involved installing an open receptacle for condensation line drainage, would cost $1000-1500.00. She then notified me that she was currently unemployed and couldn’t afford the best option. I then explained a temporary emergency option that was cheaper, but would require RL Plumbing to return at a later date after the weather warmed and pipes had thawed. Ms. then chose the cheaper option, which entailed installing a condensate pump to relieve the condensation coming from her HVAC system to discharge directly to the sewer system and to cut/replace the cracked sump pump discharge pipe and check valve. At this point, we did not know if the sump pump had operated under conditions to cause it to fail or if it was unplugged before the pressure had caused the sump pump to burn up and would not know until the real reason/cost until the weather warmed. We did know that draining the condensate lines into the sump crock was going to cause flooding in the basement due to the sump pump discharge line being frozen if something was done.
RL Plumbing and Ms. then agreed on the price of $350 to perform the cheapest option and move the condensate line to drain into a condensate pump, which would pump condensate water directly into the main sewer line, relieving the sump pump of the discharge from the HVAC system. This was to be an emergency, temporary fix until the weather warmed and/or Ms. returned to full time employment and was able to afford to pay for RL Plumbing to return and install the best option.
The following day, RL Plumbing purchased the condensate pump and returned to Ms.’ residence to install the condensate pump and the check valve. We also cut the discharge line from the sump pump located outside of the house to check how far back the pipe was frozen. RL Plumbing then left the residence, with the understanding that we would return to complete the work.
The following day RL Plumbing received a call from Ms. saying there was water in the basement again. RL Plumbing then returned to the residence and found a shipping tab on the condensate pump was not removed during installation. Once we removed the tab, the condensate pump operated and functioned properly, discharging condensation water into the main sewer drain. We then added a piece of duct tape to the condensate drain into the sewer line to keep the condensate drain from coming out of the sewer drain temporarily. This eliminated the backup of water into the basement. Remember, we were trying to keep the cost as low as possible to help our customer experiencing a hardship situation.
The following day, RL Plumbing returned again to the residence to check the discharge line from the sump pump to see if it had thawed and found that sump pump discharge line had not thawed any on this visit. We then cut the discharge line again above a 90O elbow. We installed a 1 ½” Fernco with a new elbow and a new piece of pipe directing the water away from the house for when the sump pump thawed. Later that day, Ms. had called me and saw where I had returned to the residence and installed the new elbow and pipe. She informed me that she had tried to stick a coat hanger up into the pipe in hopes of unclogging the frozen pipe and had gotten the coat hanger stuck inside the pipe.
The following day, RL Plumbing received a call from the chief plumbing inspector, ***, notifying me that the work done at Ms.’ residence was a violation of plumbing code. After I explained to him about the emergency situation discovered at Ms.’ residence, he asked me to return to Ms.’ residence and remove the condensate pump and return the condensate drain lines to their original state – to drain into the sump crock – with the understanding that if the weather continued with subfrozen temps, that Ms.’ basement would continue to have flooding issues. He then asked that RL Plumbing return the system to its original state to stop Ms.’ complaint to the KY State Plumbing code about the work being performed by RL Plumbing. I informed *** that because of the volume of work RL Plumbing was experiencing because of the weather, it would take 1-2 days to return to Ms.’ residence and complete this request. The chief plumbing inspector agreed that this was acceptable.
Later that evening, RL Plumbing called Ms. to setup a time to remove the condensate pump and return the system to its original state. She notified me that her understanding of the conversation that she had with ***, the chief plumbing inspector, that RL Plumbing was going to install a legal open receptacle, into which the condensate drain would discharge. RL Plumbing then notified Ms. that that was the original option explained to correct her issue and would cost $1000-1500.00 and that the option they had agreed upon did not include the installation of a legal open receptacle. RL Plumbing notified Ms. that we would be returning the next day to return the drainage system back to its original state, with the sump pump discharge line, according to the chief plumbing inspector, to go outside of the house with a 90o elbow pointed towards the ground. The following day, we returned and completed this work. I then texted the chief plumbing inspector, saying that the work at Ms. was completed as agreed and sent pictures as documentation. The chief plumbing inspector then approved the work as presented in texts with pictures.
Ms. then contacted RL Plumbing by text saying that she wanted a partial refund of $175.00 because of shoddy workmanship. We at RL Plumbing feel that we went above and beyond to accommodate MS. as we substantially discounted her bill because of her current financial situation and the fact that her issue was weather related. Her total bill came to $789.00, of which we applied a hardship discount of $439.00 to come to the agreed upon price of $350.00 for this work. Even though Ms. feels she did not receive adequate service from RL Plumbing, which we truly regret, we will continue to work with our customers to help them in times of unexpected hardship to do everything we can to keep costs low, especially when issues occur beyond anyone’s control, like the weather.

In a emergency sisuation do to sever cold weather. We tried to help this customer by repairing her sump pump in basement. That was frozen and had bursted do to the cold temps outside. It was only after the pipes had thawed and this customer found out that the sump pump didn’t need to be replaced. Now the customer wants a refund. You can’t go into a store and buy a product. Then use that product. Then after you use it. Return it for a refund. I went back over to this residents house several times to check on pipes to see if they had thawed out. I did all I could for this customer to try and help her being she was just unemployed. With what she could afford. Can’t do anymore without being paid. My services don’t come free. If she wants more then she has to pay for it.