Water Heaters Only, Inc

This is to acknowledge as well as respond to your notice regarding a complaint filed by [redacted]. We received a call from Mr. ** back in October of 2013 regarding a leaking 75 gallon water heater in an office building. Our technician [redacted] H. was instructed to see [redacted] in #5, but when he arrived was taken through the back side of the building and up two flights of stairs to a utility closet and the leaking water heater. [redacted] assessed the situation and wrote a detailed quote to replace the leaking 75 gallon water heater for a new 75 gallon water heater. At no point during our installer’s explanation of the written quote was he made aware that this water heater would be supplying a restaurant as well. He believed that he was to replace the original tank with another 75 gallon tank. This installation was done in October of 2013. We were called to go back out 7 full months later in May of 2014. Mr. ** was told of the options of what is called a residential Ultra Low NOx High Input energy saver gas water heater, (please see attached information including the recovery), or a Light Duty Commercial Ultra Low NOx High Input energy saver gas water heater. (Also please see attached the information). Both tanks are 76,000 BTU. As you can see the recovery rates as nearly exactly the same and would be by simply adjusting the temperature by 10%. The main difference is the price, approximately $1000 more for the light duty commercial. Our installers present both options and ultimately the choice is the customers.    Regarding the issue claimed to be switched valves:  the problem is actually an issue called “Crossover” and is not a problem of switched valves. A full service plumber would be required for crossover. Paul the Regional manager for the Bay Area has agreed to go back out and assess the site if Mr. ** would allow.

I am rejecting this response because: it hasn't resolved the issue.The complaint was made twice over the phone. In June, the health inspector came and said that the hot water did not meet the requirement and the restaurant employees confirmed that there was a daily hot water shortage. We then called Water Heaters Only to figure out what was going on and they sent a technician out who said that cold water sometimes gets into the hot water. After being unable to resolve the issue with that technician, we called again and the person I spoke with on the phone looked at the records and told me that it was a residential heater. I asked them to send someone else out to replace the residential heater with a correct commercial heater, and they refused. I am uncertain why the initial technician would think it is sufficient to install a residential heater into a commercial building, especially one with a restaurant. In addition, I had bring in another technician unrelated to the company to confirm that the cold water valve had been installed on the hot water side. If there is any other information I can provide to help resolve this, please let me know. I would like to resolve this as soon as possible. Thank you.

Dear [redacted],Thank you for sending this notification of complaint regarding Kent Yu.  Unfortunately, we have no knowledge of receiving any notification of the complaint prior to today's notice.  When was that notification sent?  Was it also sent via email, if so to what email...

address was it sent?  We would like to track down the first notice to make sure this doesn't happen, should we have any complaints, in the future.  As we are only just now being made aware of this complaint, it will take some time to actually research this and come to any potential resolution.  Please, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me directly. Thank you in advance. Regards,[redacted]Water Heaters Only, Inc.###-###-####

Business states that they are in contact with consumer and looking into the matter. Business will be responding promptly.

Review: I had a water heater installed 2-08-14 after reading their advertisment that all their work was compliant with state and local codes I had a small plumbiing issue and was informed that my installation was faulty because there was no drip pan installed they were out 5-8-14 and would not correct the problem I am hoping that you can help me with this issue so it does not become a legal issue. Thanl You for any help you can give me.Desired Settlement: Install a drip pan do that I will be in compliance with codes as they advertised.

Business

Response:

Please note: Mobile and/or Manufactured homes are governed by the State Department Housing and Community Development Division of code and standards and not by City or County Code requirements.

Having said that however, we would be more than happy to go back out and give Mr. [redacted] an estimate for a pan. It will need to be custom made due to the size of the outside water heater closet and the fact that there are so many pipes and other obstacles, which prevent a conventional pan from fitting. We have installed many water heaters in manufactured homes over our 46 years in business all without issue. Another option we would be happy to offer, this one free of charge, is a water alarm which would be placed below the water heater and would sound if any water was to leak.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my concern, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

I will except the free alarm and I appreciate there effort to keep me as a satisfied customer.

Review: We called in for a water heater replacement in a commercial building. The technician replaced it with a 75 gallon tank which he guaranteed as sufficient for a building that we had informed him included a few bathrooms and a small restaurant. After receiving complaints from the tenants about not enough hot water, we called the company again and they sent out another technician. This second worker inspected the heater and informed us that:1) the first technician had replaced a commercial water heater with a residential heater2) the cold water valve was installed on the hot water side insteadThe company has refused to replace the inadequate water heater with one that provides sufficient hot water despite the technician guaranteeing it and the mistakes that occurred.Desired Settlement: We would like them to replace the heater with an actual commercial heater and to fix the valve.

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted],Thank you for sending this notification of complaint regarding Kent Yu. Unfortunately, we have no knowledge of receiving any notification of the complaint prior to today's notice. When was that notification sent? Was it also sent via email, if so to what email address was it sent? We would like to track down the first notice to make sure this doesn't happen, should we have any complaints, in the future. As we are only just now being made aware of this complaint, it will take some time to actually research this and come to any potential resolution. Please, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me directly. Thank you in advance. Regards,[redacted]Water Heaters Only, Inc.###-###-####

Consumer

Response:

I am rejecting this response because: it hasn't resolved the issue.The complaint was made twice over the phone. In June, the health inspector came and said that the hot water did not meet the requirement and the restaurant employees confirmed that there was a daily hot water shortage. We then called Water Heaters Only to figure out what was going on and they sent a technician out who said that cold water sometimes gets into the hot water. After being unable to resolve the issue with that technician, we called again and the person I spoke with on the phone looked at the records and told me that it was a residential heater. I asked them to send someone else out to replace the residential heater with a correct commercial heater, and they refused. I am uncertain why the initial technician would think it is sufficient to install a residential heater into a commercial building, especially one with a restaurant. In addition, I had bring in another technician unrelated to the company to confirm that the cold water valve had been installed on the hot water side. If there is any other information I can provide to help resolve this, please let me know. I would like to resolve this as soon as possible. Thank you.

Business

Response:

Business states that they are in contact with consumer and looking into the matter. Business will be responding promptly.

Business

Response:

This is to acknowledge as well as respond to your notice regarding a complaint filed by [redacted]. We received a call from Mr. ** back in October of 2013 regarding a leaking 75 gallon water heater in an office building. Our technician [redacted] H. was instructed to see [redacted] in #5, but when he arrived was taken through the back side of the building and up two flights of stairs to a utility closet and the leaking water heater. [redacted] assessed the situation and wrote a detailed quote to replace the leaking 75 gallon water heater for a new 75 gallon water heater. At no point during our installer’s explanation of the written quote was he made aware that this water heater would be supplying a restaurant as well. He believed that he was to replace the original tank with another 75 gallon tank. This installation was done in October of 2013. We were called to go back out 7 full months later in May of 2014. Mr. ** was told of the options of what is called a residential Ultra Low NOx High Input energy saver gas water heater, (please see attached information including the recovery), or a Light Duty Commercial Ultra Low NOx High Input energy saver gas water heater. (Also please see attached the information). Both tanks are 76,000 BTU. As you can see the recovery rates as nearly exactly the same and would be by simply adjusting the temperature by 10%. The main difference is the price, approximately $1000 more for the light duty commercial. Our installers present both options and ultimately the choice is the customers. Regarding the issue claimed to be switched valves: the problem is actually an issue called “Crossover” and is not a problem of switched valves. A full service plumber would be required for crossover. Paul the Regional manager for the Bay Area has agreed to go back out and assess the site if Mr. ** would allow.