Zillges Spa, Landscape & Fireplace

Revdex.com:
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.
[The Zillges tech came out the 1st week of November and supposedly tested the thermocouple recommending it's replacement.  I was under the assumption that the tech also thoroughly checked the entire unit for other issues that would cause the pilot to keep going out.   Also, it was never proven or shown that the thermocouple actually needed to be replaced.   The replacement parts were ordered and arrived approximately 2weeks  later.  I was called to set up a service date to have the parts installed. The date was set for Monday November 24th (which I remember because I was thrilled it was just before Thanksgiving and happy the fireplace would be working for Thanksgiving dinner).  Not 1 but 2 service techs arrived, however, only 1 tech did the work of replacing the parts while the other tech just walked around the living room.  If this service call was too far, as [redacted] indicated twice in his reply, for Zillges to provide the service then that should have been conveyed to me during my initial call thereby giving me the opportunity to have located another facility which would have been closer but it had not been.  According to Google Maps it is 46 minutes of travel.[redacted] indicated I "used the fireplace for 4 months through the heart of the cold winter" which is untrue because the pilot kept going out making use of the fireplace EXTREMELY limited if able to be used at all.  [redacted] also states they never "heard a word from me" which again, is untrue and a total fabrication.  I had called multiple times.  I called a couple of weeks after the repairs were completed because the PILOT KEPT GOING OUT and left a message indicating that service was just completed for that issue.  I called again approximately another week later and my call was then transfered to a tech.  I explained to the tech the nature of my call and the reason indicating that the piliot contiunes to go out even after the thermocoupler and the thermopile were replaced and that I had called previously for the same reason.  The tech told me that since the parts are so new they need to "break in" and to call again if the problem continues. The problem continued so I called again.  I called again in March and again explained that my fireplace was recently serviced due the pilot going out and about the replacement of the thermocoupler and thermopile and that I had made multiple calls previously and the pilot has been continously going out.  I was told they will "check the service guy's schedule and availability and someone will call me back".  Upon the return call the representative asked if I would be available on May 1st at 8:00 a.m. I indicated I would be.  The tech arrived on May 1st at 8:20 a.m. and again I explained the issue of the piliot light that has been continually going out, about it being serviced in late November and about the replacment thermocouple and thermopile.  I never indicated to this tech that the pliot wouldn't light because that was not the issue it was the pilot going out.  The tech dismantled the unit finding the wasp nest.  I asked this tech shouldn't the other tech who was out here in November have found that nest. He replied with "I don't know".      NOTE:  between the times the 1st tech was out out in November to check the unit and the tech that came out the 1st week in May are cold months, therefore, there are no wasps out during that time frame to have built nests.  I believe this blockage in fact existed during the 1st service call  and it should have been found had a thorough check of the ENTIRE unit, including the flue was conducted.I don't believe Zillges was fair least of all more than fair and did not go above or beyond anything to service this fireplace nor provide quality service.  [redacted] indicated that I was "grumpy" which again is untrue and another fabrication.  I never raised my voice nor used any type of profanity.  However, [redacted] kept repeatedly interrupting me as I was trying to explain to him everything that had transpired previously and all the calls and continously explaining the same thing over and over;  so to have frustration conveyed in my voice would have been inevitable.  [redacted] then indicated I should just pay what I feel is fair and they would just not provide service in the future.  If Zillges provided quality service as [redacted] indidated as  well as good CUSTOMER service we certainly wouldn't be at this point.]
Regards,
[redacted]

Review: In Nov 2014 Zillges serviced my indoor gas fireplace because the pilot kept going out. I was informed the thermal coupler & the thermal generator needed to be replaced.I approved the work the parts were ordered & after 2 weeks the parts arrived & were installed.Invoice #[redacted] for $243.65 for parts & labor was received.I wrote a check for $243.65. However, after the service had been completed I continued to experience the same issue with the pilot going out & called Zillges to explain that.I again called Zillges in late March & explained they repaired my fireplace in November for the same problem. Someone came out on 4/3/15 dismantled the unit & went on the roof to run a long device down the chimney & discovered an old wasp nest. I was billed another $131.88 #[redacted] 5/4/15. On Wed 5/6 I called Zillges & again explained the situation. I did not receive a return call.On Fri 5/8 I called Zillges again,again explained the situation & indicated this should have been under warranty & if the 1st service man had ran a cleaning device down the chimney in November the nest would have been found & the thermal coupler & generator may not needed to be replaced. I believe I had been charged for unnecessary repairs & parts replacements in November 2014. I was informed they will no longer provide any future services to my home.Desired Settlement: I believe I was charged to replace parts that did not need to be replaced and was billed unnecessarily. I refund for the full amount of $243.65 should be in order.

Business

Response:

Zillges was asked to service a non Zillges fireplace. This is something we do all the time and on occasion causes delays for part ordering and return trips. Hence the two weeks before returning. Zillges completed the repair on the unit in November of 2014. During this time the pilot would not stay lit. The reason for that is the thermocouple was not producing the voltage to keep the pilot side of the valve open in order to keep the pilot lit. The thermocouple is the sensor directly related to the safety of the appliance. Without it you have no pilot and a fireplace that will not work. The thermopile is the power producing sensor that controls the main burner. It was explained to [redacted] that these components were about an inch apart and to replace them both at the same time is recommended. Given they were the same age even though the thermopile tested in the range required for proper function. The thermopile in no way shape or form affects the pilot light. It only controls the main burner. With that said this job was about one hour away from our service department in Oshkosh and the reality is the thermopile could test good today and fail tomorrow. This is the nature of how they fail. It’s like starting your car. You can do all the required maintenance and it will start 10,000 times in a row but the 10,001 it doesn’t. Versus having Zillges return in a week, a month, or maybe 2 years down the road we suggested the preferred option. She agreed and we replaced them both. [redacted] then used her fireplace for 4 months through the heart of the cold winter and we never heard a word from her. Even though she claims it wasn’t working we never heard a word. She called in late March and stated she had more problems. We sent a technician to come out and service a pilot that wouldn’t light. Our technician was able to light the pilot within seconds. The pilot not lighting was not the problem. The pilot may have been going out, yes but this was because the flue was plugged with a wasp nest. What happens when a fireplace becomes plugged is the unit starves for oxygen, the flames turn blue and yes the pilot goes out. It’s the smallest flame in the firebox and it the first to go. Once it’s out the heat is lost on the sensor and the safety built into the system shuts the gas supply off. This problem had absolutely nothing to do with the first service call, NOTHING. After Zillges cleaned the blockage the unit ran perfectly. This unit would not have functioned AT ALL from November until the date of the second service call if this blockage existed. With this said the charges were easily justified and Zillges even gave the customer a $40 reduction in the service call because it was so quickly rectified. There were no parts required. Keep in mind we had an hour of travel time just to get there, and the fact this isn’t even a Zillges unit. Zillges was more than fair and went above and beyond to make this fireplace work. If you go to the auto repair shop and you have your brake pads replaced and a week or 4 months later your master cylinder fails, you pay for a new master cylinder. Your brakes may fail in either case but they’re not directly related. That’s the case with this scenario. [redacted] was grumpy during our conversation regarding this issue. I did my best to explain the situation and explain the difference in the service calls but she didn’t want to hear it. I went as far as telling her to pay us what she felt it was worth to get her fireplace fixed and we would just not service her in the future. We run a business charging a fair price for quality service. I believe we clearly explained that we repaired two different problems. I stand behind what I told [redacted] Zillges did and would do. This is it in a nut shell. We did repair two different problems and they deserved to separate service charges. Secondly If [redacted] refuses to pay the second invoice, Zillges will NOT service this customer in any aspect of our business in the future. It will be up to the owners if they want to pursue small claims. Thank you for your time and I hope this explains the other side of the story. [redacted]Zillges Fireplace LLC[redacted]

Consumer

Response: