Sun Mountain Solar Industries

Review: Sun Mountain Solar Industries sold us a solar package for a new home we built in [redacted] in August of 2012, which included 4 solar panels, 2 heat exchangers,Electronic Control Panel, a blower for the system, and a set of simple instructions. System was installed as per [redacted]'s directions and it does not work. The system froze up in November of 2012 with the first cold snap we had and water damage was over $2000.00 to the room below the system. There are outstanding bills from the plumber, homeowner, and our building company which [redacted] has not paid to date from this water damage. [redacted] has replaced the blower, thermo disc, repaired the Electronic Control Panel, tried to fix the 2 heat exchangers and this system still does not work properly.This hot water system will only heat water in solar tanks to 115 degrees. It needs to be at least 150 degrees to have the hot water system work correctly. [redacted] has been out to the new home several times to look system over. We have heard excuse after excuse as to why this system is not working and a promise to call us back with a new part to exchange to correct the problem within a week or so. No call. We have called Sun Mountain Solar more times than I care to remember and [redacted] will not return our calls. I have only been able to talk with [redacted] about 1 time every 2 months, with another excuse and a promise to order another replacement part. The last time I managed to talk with [redacted] the end of Aug 2012, I asked him for his insurance company to file a claim with them as there are 3 outstanding bills unpaid, and he told me he does not have any insurance. He then promised to get 2 new heat exchangers to fix the problem and call me the next week. No return call again. These exchangers were to be already installed 3 weeks earlier. The last attempted call to [redacted] was Sept 21, 2013. It's been over year and this situation is still unresolved.Desired Settlement: We need Sun Mountain Solar Industries to make this solar system working correctly by having a competent professional deal with this issue. Sun Mountain Solar also needs to pay the unpaid bills for the repairs already submitted to them months ago. We have invested over $10,000.00 in additional costs for parts above the money we paid Sun Mountain Industries and having the roof designed to accommodate these solar panels.

Business

Response:

This complaint is absolutely without foundation. We are a manufacturer of solar heating collectors that the customer used in his installation of a solar hot water heating system. The customer is a contractor and installed the system himself. He put the heat exchangers in the attic and gave them no protection from freezing. When they froze he blamed me. I repaired the heat exchangers and he had them re-installed. He was informed by his own insulation installer that they needed to be protected by venting and tenting them. The customer builds homes and should have known that water freezes below 32 degrees. The damage done by the water and the following work needed to repair that damage was not my companies responsibility, we did not install the system we only provided the equipment for him to install. I don’t believe that we should be liable for his mistakes in the installation of the system. You would think an experienced builder would know what he’s doing. The exchangers are not warranted from freezing and it’s not our responsibility to pay to replace them.

Sincerely,

[redacted]. [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]

Regards,

[redacted] sold me a system which does not work as he stated. Sun Mountain Solar not only manufactures solar systems, they also install them. I had never installed a solar system prior to this home and this was discussed with [redacted] when he was talking to me about having a system installed in this new home. [redacted] sold me the solar system and he was onsite and assisted me in the installation of the solar panels as he promised. [redacted] told me to install the heat exchangers directly in the insulation, which we did. This system was installed as he directed.