Smith & Willis Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2015/06/29) */
Smith and Willis takes seriously every complaint which we receive from our customersIn specific reference to the consumers Case # XXXXXXX, it is obvious that we have a misunderstanding regarding the maintenance agreement which we offer through
our companyThis customer contacted our office on 09/24/requesting cost and information for a "furnace clean and tune"She was informed that we could offer a cleaning and checkup for the furnace for $and that we also had a year maintenance agreement that would cover both the furnace and the a/c for $The maintenance agreement would consist of a fall cleaning and service for the furnace as well as a spring cleaning and service for the A/CThe customer was also emailed a complete copy of the maintenance agreement stating what was covered as well as the costThe customer made an appointment the same day for the furnace service
On 10/15/we arrived to perform the service for the customer and our technician was informed by the customer that she had been quoted a price for the service agreement of $and was under the impression that was to be the total price for both units, and that we should have known that she had units because our company installed the equipment when the home was builtOur technician explained that the $would cover only one system for the furnace and the A/C, for fall and springHe also explained the misunderstandingHe then cleaned and serviced both furnaces for the customer and offered the customer one complementary A/C service in the spring as a way of making up for the misunderstandingBy doing this the customer would receive the full amount of service for the $that she paid for servicing the furnaces plus free A/C cleaning in the springThe customer had no additional complaints noted on this service call
Customer scheduled the spring A/C service on 05/22/The one A/C was cleaned serviced and inspected by our technician and all pertinent information of performance of the unit was documented on the service ticketDuring the inspection our technician noted on the ticket and informed the customer that he recommended that the coil be cleaned to maintain good working condition of the systemThe customer declined any further work at this time and there was no charge for this call as we had promised before
Smith and Willis prides itself on offering fair pricing both on equipment sales as well as service and was pleased to see that the customer stated that the technician was very thorough and professionalWe also stand by the standards our technicians use in evaluating the need to keep the equipment, especially the coil, clean for optimal efficiency as well as to prolong the life of the equipmentOther companies may employ a different standard on when a coil should be cleaned as compared Smith and Willis but we have found that by adhering to the higher standard and always meeting the manufacture recommendations on service the more cost effective and the longer the useful life of the unit is
While we apologize for any part we as a company had in this misunderstanding we feel that a difference of opinion on when a coil should be recommended to be cleaned between to different companies is not a valid reason to negate the services already performed on the other equipment especially when we went above our pricing by extending the complimentary spring cleaning and service on a unit not paid forThe total cost to the customer of $for two service calls to clean and maintain furnaces and one A/C is certainly by industry standards very reasonable
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 10, 2015/07/09) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Smith and Willis stated that a copy of the maintenance agreement was emailed to me on 9/24/This is not trueI wasn't given any paperwork until they arrived in October to do the serviceSo the only "information" I had to go on was the conversation I had on the phone with the person who scheduled my appointmentShe knew what systems were in my home since they were the company who installed themShe gave me a price, which sounded reasonableWe have a home in VA with systems and the price she quoted me was the same as we pay for that VA homeSo I had no reason to think it was an unreasonably low costIt wasn't until the technician arrived for the October appointment that I was made aware of the true cost
I also disagree with the statement they made regarding the service technician for the spring visitHe was very ADAMANT that my coil was VERY dirty and needed to be cleaned in order to keep our system workingHe went on and on about the need for it to be cleanedSo while they state that the need for a coil cleaning was just "noted" on the ticket, that isn't taking into account the verbal recommendations of their technician while at my homeSmith and Willis also state that they have a different standard on when a coil should be cleanedThat is an excuse in my opinionAnother reputable company said there was absolutely NO need for my coil to be cleanedThat company had everything to gain because I was willing to pay that company to do it if they agreed it needed cleaningInstead they said there was absolutely NO need and didn't even charge me for opening up the whole panel, and verifying that for me
Final Business Response /* (4000, 12, 2015/07/13) */
Smith and Willis makes every attempt to provide accurate information to our customers both by email as well as phone conversation in regards to our maintenance agreementsOur standard procedure to prevent misunderstanding is after a phone conversation we will email the agreement to our customers when an email is availableWe however do not retain emails records for this type of email responseWe are sorry that the consumer did not receive this emailIt is important to note that the consumer did receive a hard copy of the agreement from our technician on the original October service callThe consumer after having received the hard copy of the agreement and having a discussion with the technician had the option to reject the service that the technician was there to perform which would have resulted in no charge to the consumerThe consumer with full knowledge and information chose to have the two furnaces serviced for the charger of $which was the charge for the service agreement, and having serviced the two furnaces in October was the exact same value as having one furnace serviced and one A/C serviced in the springThe second point is the fact that after the misunderstanding about the number of units covered by the contract, (one furnace and one A/C service) she was offered a discount on the second systemThe consumer chose not to take advantage of the second service contractAfter refusing the second service contract on the 2nd system, Smith and Willis offered to come back in the spring and service one additional A/C unit at no charge to the consumer, which service was completed in the spring
In regards to the recommendation from our technician to clean the coil on the one free service on the A/C, it is our experience from many years in the new home construction business that a to year home almost without exception due to the inevitable process of construction, the system has accumulated dirt, drywall dust and other construction debris from that process as well as the accumulation from heating and cooling even with regular filter changes is due for a cleaningWe certainly do not question the opinion of the other heating contractor, but will error on the side of caution and trust our technician's opinion of the condition of the coilThe second and most important part of this discussion is the word "recommend" which came with explanation from the technicianThe consumer is welcome to and did reject the service, which cost the consumer nothing
All we can say is we regret losing the confidence of the consumer but in our opinion the consumer received a discounted rate on the services providedThe consumer paid for and received service on units for the price of unitsThe consumer has not found fault with the services provided by our technician on any of the unitsThe complaint is centered first on the miscommunication on the service contract amount and secondly on the recommendation for cleaning the coilThe consumer has received a discount on the service, and the recommendation cost the consumer nothing which seems to be a net positive to the value the consumer received

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/04/08) */
*** & *** installed furnace, condenser and coil at *** *** ** 3/June 4th we received a call from the homeowner stating the ac is freezing; June 5th our techs were on site and noticed the coil was not centered on the furnace,
restricting airflow and causing the system to freezeWe returned June 6th to make the necessary repairs to the coil and tested the system for proper operation / cooling and refrigerant levelsFrom June 5th until September 28th we had no communication or appointments for this addressSept 28th homeowner called our after-hours service stating the ac was freezingOur office called back 9/29/at 8:30am to schedule an appointment, had to leave a message and never heard back from the homeowner until April Homeowner had another company at the home, replacing the furnace and coil, when she called our office 4/2/stating she wanted us to replace the system or reimburse her for the new equipment because the company on site told her the damage to the system was due to installWhen asked about whether maintenance has been done on the system, or if an hvac professional had looked at the system at the first sign of water leaking (h.o stated ac has not worked properly and has been leaking since 2012) or ac not cooling, the homeowner stated neither had been doneOur office informed her we would not be able to make repairs or replace equipment at no charge and would have to talk to the owner about waiving the diagnostic fee to have a tech out to check the systemThat same night the homeowner posted a negative review on Yelp which we responded to the next day, 4/3/*** review response below)We did not get a response from the homeowner at that time, but did receive the Revdex.com complaintOur stance remains the same as stated in our response to the Revdex.com and *** below
4/3/We apologize for your less than satisfactory experience with *** & ***I promptly looked into your claim after receiving your review to see where we fell short in your expectationsOur detailed records indicate that we installed HVAC in your new home in early and our first warranty call on file is for 6/5/with the issue of "ac is freezing and not cooling well." Our technician determined the coil was not centered on the furnace causing the coil to freeze when the ac was runningWe returned two days later, on 6/7/to reposition the coil, check the charge and system operation, which our technician confirmed was good to go
The next time we heard from you was two years later on 9/29/with the issue "ac freezing." The message was left with our after-hours service and we called back at 8:33am the next day, 9/30/14, to offer an appointment but never heard back from you until yesterday, 4/1/You were very upset because another company told you the unit was installed wrong and had to be replaced due to the extensive water damage on the unitWhen asked if your HVAC system has received regular maintenance or if you had ever had a HVAC technician out to investigate the water leak, it was stated "Neither had been done."
Unfortunately, with a 1/2-year gap in any form of contact and no regular maintenance, we are limited in how we can improve your situationWhat we can offer is to send a technician out to inspect your system free of charge, but any recommendations for repairs that might be needed would be billable to you as the homeownerPlease let me know if you would like to schedule an appointment, or if you would like to discuss any further concerns directly with the owner as he would be happy to do so
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/04/13) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Considering *** & *** holds itself out to be an "expert" in HVAC installation, the original issue with the placement of the coils on the furnace is completely unacceptableThis issue has compounded and has created all subsequent issues with the HVAC, none of the current problems would have existed if it wasn't for *** & ***'s poor-quality installationThe neglect by *** & *** merits complete reimbursement for the HVAC, and places all liability on *** & *** for all damages
On June 6th 2012, we were told by *** & *** that the average operation of the AC unit was completely normal, and we should have no further issuesSoon after June 6th 2012, we contacted *** & *** to report that the AC unit was not operating properly, and that poor operation had become the norm*** & *** then suggested closing air vents to help push the air upstairs and improve coolingBecause we are not trained professionals for the maintenance and operation of HVAC units, we trusted *** & ***'s professional opinion and relied on their advice that the subpar performance was the best the unit would be able to provideEven after closing vents, the unit still did not run wellNote, the company we chose to replace our three year old HVAC unit in April informed us that closing vents places additional strain on the furnace and can actually further reduce the life of the HVAC systemThey suggested never closing vents in attempt to improve airflow
*** & *** failed to include these details in their response*** & *** improperly installed the AC unit, and offered improper advice to remedy the problem their poor installation createdA business that holds itself out as an expert in their field is liable for their work, especially when the business deceitfully tells the consumer that their work resulted in the best possible performance
Again, *** and *** is giving an inaccurate account of the communication that took place during this time frameIt appears *** & *** is intentionally leaving out a very important conversation, as to create an image of neglect on our partMultiple calls were made to *** & *** and contact was madeSpecifically, my husband talked to *** & *** shortly before winter He explained the AC unit was not functioning properly and never performed as well as he thought it shouldHe went on to explain that the issues appeared to be identical to the problems the unit had when originally, incorrectly installedAs a result, he asked *** & *** to come look at the unit free of charge and verify that the installation was correct and test the unit to determine what was causing these problems*** & *** refused to cooperate with this requestThey claimed no responsibility for the problems with the AC unit and would only agree to schedule a visit to check the unit for the full service visit fee and told us we would be responsible for any recommended repairsMy husband was frustrated by this response, as we were certain *** & ***'s poor work had caused the AC unit's poor performanceBecause we now believed *** & *** to be an unreliable, uncooperative company, we decided to wait until after the winter to have the AC fixed and to use a different company to do so
It is also important to note that due to *** & ***'s assurance that the unit was operating to its full capacity after their initial repairs, we relied on their opinion and from June 5th, until September 28th, and assumed the subpar operation of the AC system was normalHowever, the unit froze again and became completely inoperable by September As stated above, because of *** & ***'s reaction to our report in September of 2014, we chose to use a new company to make repairs to the unitThe new company reported that the entire HVAC was in abnormally poor condition for the age of the coils and furnaceSpecifically, the company informed us that condition of the HVAC was comparable to a 20-year old unit, not a three year old unitBecause of the condition of the HVAC installed by *** & ***, we were required to install a new furnace and evaporator as well as advised the life of the compressor was significantly reduced and will need replacing in the near futureThe performance of the new equipment installed by a different company is significantly better than that of the original unit installed by *** & ***, confirming that *** & *** caused the issues with the original AC and never fixed the initial problems resulting in significant damage to the entire HVAC unit
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/04/21) */
In answering the consumer's rebuttal to our original response we can only restate the obvious, and perhaps add what may seem as technical information on the issues that the consumer has alleged regarding our company's technical ability and professionalismThe consumer has stated, and rightfully so, that *** and *** does "hold itself out to be an expert in HVAC install"Our company does several thousands of homes per year in the new construction industry in DenverWe provide a full service to our builder customers from the design of the system to the rough install of the duct work and equipment installation as well as the finish trim of the homeOur new construction builders range from national builders to smaller local & regional builders, all of which have very high standards, as well as an extended warranty which accompanies each and every new homeI can assure you of two, very important things: One, if our work on any portion of a home was not up to the highest standards or did not meet city and state codes, we would not have the customer base we do todayTwo, if we did not perform in a professional and prompt manner when honoring our contractual warranty agreement to the homeowner, likewise, we would have been replacedI will also tell you that we do on occasion make mistakes
The original equipment was installed in this home in March of On June 5th, we received, and responded to, a service call from the consumer that the coil was freezing upWhen we evaluated the system we did discover that during the original installation the coil was not perfectly aligned with the furnace which did not allow the maximum amount of air flow through the coil, contributing to the coil freezing, which stopped the unit from cooling the homeThis misalignment was definitely our responsibility and was our mistakeThe mistake was not hidden from the consumer, and was fully explained and shown to the consumer at the time it was corrected on June 6th There was no attempt to hide or mislead the consumer in regards to what the problem was or the correction there ofIn the original complaint the consumer stated the coil "was originally installed backwards" which is totally inaccurate, as it is a physical impossibility to install a coil backwardsThe fix for the problem was to shift the coil approximately 1/to inches for alignment purposes onlyThe unit was then checked for proper refrigerant charge and operation and was found to be within manufacture requirementsIt should also be noted that from March to June of the total AC time running was minimal and most likely a matter of a few days at most prior to the consumer call for service
The consumer stated in the original complaint that "my husband unsuccessfully contacted *** and *** on several occasions to come service the unit" and continued to state in the rebuttal that "My husband talked to *** & *** shortly before winter 2014"Our company keeps detailed records of all incoming calls as well as call recordings which enable us to be accountable and prevent misunderstandingsWe have searched our call records during this time and have only one incoming call from this consumer - that call was received on September 28th, on our after-hours line stating that "the AC was freezing"Our office called the consumer back to schedule an appointment on September 29th, at which time there was no answer so we left a messageWe did not hear back from the consumer until April 2nd, At that time the consumer stated that she wanted us to replace the system or reimburse her for the new equipment that another company said was faulty because of the original install
The consumer, when questioned during the April 2nd, call, stated that regular maintenance or annual inspections of the unit had not been donePer manufacture recommendations furnace filters need to be changed every month and maintenance / inspections done once per year by a certified HVAC technician
Surely the consumer must realize that the HVAC system in a home is much like a car; if the oil is not checked and the air filter is never changed the end result will be poor performance and a shortened life spanHad the filters been changed and yearly maintenance / inspections been done, as required by the manufacture, the consumer would have noticed any water leaksAs I am sure the other company would also tell you, the most common reason a coil freezes is due to not changing furnace filters on a regular basis, thus clogging up the air passage *** causing the coil to freeze, and that an annual inspection of the system would have shown if there was low refrigerant levels in the system causing poor performanceAs for the performance difference between the original equipment and what the consumer had the other company install, the equipment may not be of the same size or rating
The consumer does not need to be an HVAC expert to read and understand the manufacture operation and maintenance guide, or to have noticed water leaking out of the furnace, which would otherwise cause any other reasonable person to call for serviceIf proper and required attention had been paid to the equipment the damage caused would have been very minor and easily remedied before total system replacement was required

I would like to respondI have discussed this with both the Mrand Mrsof the homeConversations as mentioned below did not in fact go wellI as soon as I was made aware of the concern contacted (via email) the Mrsand requested that the parts be held until we could confirm the allegation
That unfortunately did not happenI will not refund anything to these people for a multitude of reasons There is no way to substantiate the claim made by another HVAC company that made the repair since the parts was lostI have spoken to Carrier DBA Lohmiller WestAnd it is unlikely that they would have warrantied a non OEM part as claimed by the other companyOr disposed of it the same business dayThere is no homebuilder warranty on this home that we were obligated to extend this many years laterThe repair would have been collectable labor regardless of whom they had make the repair - and Labor only is what the Mrand Mrswere charged for by the other companyPlease see uploaded document copy of invoice from other company showing labor only and clearly stating that the part somehow was warrantedand the is Labor onlyAs always there seem to be two sides to all people’s recollection of the events that transpired and conversations that were heldI disagree with the Mrs.'s account of the conversation but she is entitled to her version of it, as am I. We do however have recorded a very rude, inflammatory, profanity laced and threatening conversation with the gentleman of the homeWe would be happy to upload that or share if would help to understand the type of people that are making the statements and allegations that were filed here at the Revdex.com.Also just so that the consumer here can understand that they were charged considerably more than labor only as I attempted to help them avoid and to explain to themThe list price of the motor that was replaced is here below for reference: they are welcome to look into that themselvesI also am including attached a review of all emails that were involved from the Mrs., the homebuilder and myselffor further understanding and validation that we attempted to be proactive and helpful in this alleged issue Please don’t hesitate to contact me directly with any questions or concerns on this matter *** ***

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 13, 2015/11/02) */
Mr. [redacted] and Smith and [redacted] have the same account of events, but unfortunately not seeing the final circuit board, diagnosed by another company, and without proper yearly maintenance we are not able reimburse Mr. [redacted]. A circuit board can...

go out for many reasons, leaks, dust, manufacturer issues, are just a few reasons for failure. Without one of our technicians diagnosing the issue with the circuit board there are too many variables that could have been at fault. Also, as mentioned by Mr. [redacted], Smith and [redacted] replaced his furnace in 2010 and then replaced his AC in 2012. The first time we heard from him since the install was for the AC not cooling in 11/2014, that is 4 years without any maintenance on his furnace and 2 years without maintenance on his ac. Unfortunately, the lack of maintenance and not seeing the circuit board to diagnose leave us, Smith and [redacted], with limited options on how to proceed.

According to our contract with the customer’s builder, there is a one year builder warranty, which covers labor and parts, on the furnace, ac system and controls. The warranty begins on the homeowner’s close date and goes for one calendar year. This builder has a two year builder warranty on duct...

systems but in this case, it is not applicable and a one year warranty applies. Before directing homeowners out of warranty to go to their manufacture’s website or to contact their builder’s warranty representative our office staff always checks the notes on the customer’s home to make sure that there isn’t any history of the same issue. In this case, we did not have history of the thermostat not working properly and through our contract with the builder, it is not covered. We instructed her to call her builder warranty representative if she had any further questions and her builder followed up with us to confirm the thermostat issue was not to be included under the builder warranty.   Before concluding our phone conversation with the homeowner, we suggested for her to contact the manufacturer of her equipment to find an authorized dealer that can service the equipment. We always suggest to go directly to the manufacturers’ website to locate authorized dealers because most manufacturers offer anywhere from a 5 to 10 year parts warranty that any authorized dealer can honor. To clarify; this parts warranty is through the manufacturer, only covers parts, labor is not included and ANY authorized dealer can honor it.   I understand the frustration of being sent to a website to only be sent back to us, but unfortunately Smith & Willis does not offer service. We focus on Residential New Construction, working with multiple builders and providing warranty services to homeowners under their builder warranty. At this time we will not repair your thermostat as it is outside the builder warranty and we do not offer service. Even if we did offer service we would charge a diagnostic fee and any additional labor costs associated in fixing the thermostat, as the only thing under warranty is the parts, which again is through the manufacturer. We will follow up with our manufacturer to address the frustrating incident and see if we can help future homeowners not get mixed messages.