Complaintsfor1st Quality Heating & Air, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  07/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We engaged 1st Quality Heating & Air (1QH&A) to perform the initial spring service of our two HVAC systems in March 2023. Based upon the specific recommendations of *************** (Land) during that visit, we relied upon his professional recommendations & hired them to seal our crawl space vents, install a good quality dehumidifier, and perform all other necessary work related thereto (excepting the vapor barrier, which had already been installed in November 2022). **** personally crawled under our home, inspected everything & quoted us $3,500 to complete the work. We have since been informed 1QH&A (1) committed multiple Building Code violations, (2) voided the dehumidifier warranty, (3) carelessly caused other damage that we have had to repair at additional cost, (4) Land personally damaged a section of our new vapor barrier & refused to repair it, & (5) we now have no one to service the dehumidifier. We found out about the Code violations when we contacted several crawl space companies & other experts after the dehumidifier was installed. We also found that some promised work was not done, but we would have never known about this & the Code violations until advised by other professionals. We were told that, as a HVAC contractor, 1QH&A should have been aware of the combustion air issues related to sealing a crawl space with a gas furnace, which was not addressed. A file with a detailed narrative of our experience with 1QH&A is attached, plus the dehumidifier manual, & pictures of damage to our vapor barrier and the actual unit installed. We feel deceived & have spent considerably more money than anticipated & will not be able to buy a replacement dehumidifier until this issue is resolved. We are also worried more expenses are yet undiscovered. We dont feel we can trust anything done by 1QH&A.We expect a full refund, plus reimbursement for the additional expenses caused by 1QH&A, in the amount of $4,925.25, broken down in the attached Word document.

  Business response

  07/24/2023

  Please see attached business response. 

  Customer response

  07/28/2023

   
  I am rejecting this response because:
  1QH&A omits any response to our claim that it installed a dehumidifier in violation of Code & warranty. 1QH&A also caused more damage/expenses.We have NO confidence in the work done; others have pointed out deficiencies. 1QH&A was hired to service our HVAC systems-their failure to address the needed combustion air for our gas furnace, with potential serious health & equip. issues is concerning, & we were NEVER told to call the original furnace installers to perform this work (dont know who the original installers are, but another HVAC company had no problem). The vapor barrier installer said the adhesive used was manufacturer-recommended. It is only failing in the areas where Land damaged it, so 1QH&As denial it caused the damage is untrue. We have no idea what 1QH&A is referring to when they stated we have already tried another avenue & complaint deemed unfounded & closed. Any water issue near the crawl space door has been totally resolved, despite the recent heavy rains, since the blocked downspout/gravity well drains were separated/replaced. We doubt Land has the proper education/credentials to properly opine on water intrusion.1QH&A is the only installer who entered our crawl space between 3/6 & 3/10.The ext cord was clearly unplugged on 3/6; it must have mysteriously been left plugged in by persons unknown within a 4 day period, if you believe 1QH&A.We did not lie about the drain; we stated they returned to install the drain,but only AFTER we discovered it wasnt done as promised. They also carelessly left an unsealed gap in the foundation.1QH&A often gratuitously repeats we could not afford to pay for work (untrue, unnecessary & insulting. We don't understand how one could tell the dehumidifier is working from a picture.Our garage refrigerator is running; we have never requested a replacement. We feel our claim is more than valid & plan to pursue this further if necessary.
  

  Business response

  07/31/2023

  We have nothing further to add other than as stated before.  These people have no eye witnesses or video evidence that we did any of the things we are being maliciously accused of, it is their word against ours only, and are fully prepared to defend ourselves legally if necessary.  However, we will counter *** them if this goes to court, and we will win.

• Initial Complaint

  06/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  1st Quality Heating & Air, Inc. installed a Lennox ** coil in 2017. The part came with a 10-year warranty. In May of this year, 2023, the ** was no longer cold. I asked 1st Quality Heating & Air, Inc. to come look at it. The owner was not available and was in ******. He also said the charge to come out and look is $89. When I then asked if that amount would be waived if they were hired to perform work he said "No." Every other company in the area said they would waive their dispatch/diagnostic fee if work is performed. With these two factors in mind we had another technician look at the ** unit. He performed a diagnostic check and at no time did he touch or service the part in question. This is also in writing, as are all of 1st Quality Heating & Air, ***** emails to me. However, even though 1st Quality Heating & Air, Inc. knew a technician had come out, the owner said when he returned from ****** he would schedule the installation...also in writing. When I texted 1st Quality Heating & Air, ***** scheduler, ******, a few days later she confirmed the technician would come to diagnose but the installation would be at a later date. When I pleaded with them to do both on the same day they said they need to diagnose. When I reminded them another technician believed it was the Lennox Coil causing the issue the owner of 1st Quality Heating & Air, Inc. immediately said the warranty is voided because he performed work on and/or serviced the Coil. I provided IN WRITING that he performed no work and never touched the part in question. (*****************) From that moment on they blocked my phone number and have no returned any of my emails. I know they blocked my number because every call I make goes straight to voice mail without any ringing, and when I call from any other number it rings several times before going to voice mail. I have all of 1st Quality Heating & Air, ***** emails in writing saved and am happy to provide as part of this complaint.

  Business response

  06/02/2023

  The evaporator coil we installed in 2017 does have a 10 year parts warranty but thats on the equipment itself, not the company that installed it.  Any company can honor that parts warranty and charge labor only to replace it.  We gave him a 2 year labor warranty that expired after 2019.  He was told by my secretary that we would need to come diagnose the system ourselves before just ordering a new coil because he thought it might be leaking.  In the emails we shared while I was in ******, it plainly states that if in fact it turned out that the coil was leaking and not something else being wrong, then we would order a new coil and install it for a fee between $875-$1100 depending on difficulty.  He obviously left that part out of his complaint. However, as stated before, we do not owe him anything at all. The warranty is on the piece of equipment only not the company that installed it, and his two year labor warranty with ** expired after 2019. This complaint is not valid and needs to be removed immediately.

  Customer response

  06/02/2023

  I am rejecting this response because:

  We are getting conflicting information from 1st Quality Air.First, we were told that the warranty would not be honored if anyone else did the work (which they did not). They claimed they were the only company that could perform the work under warranty. Now we are being told that anyone can do the work because the warranty belongs to the part (coil), not them. They are backtracking. In addition, we have contacted ****** (the manufacturer of the part) and have confirmed that 1st Quality Air never filed the warranty when they installed the coil. Therefore, no other company is able to do this work under warranty. Therefore, the warranty does belong to 1st Quality Air.

  Here are the three conflicting issues:

  1. If the 10-year parts warranty is still valid, why not do the installation?

  2. Why was I told it was invalidated? Based on his response to BBB, it is still valid.

  3. Where is the actual warranty?  Not only do I not have a copy, but I spoke to ****** TODAY and as I told 1st Quality Air last week,****** confirmed today that a warranty was NEVER filed with them and the part is NOT covered.  1st Quality Air conveniently left THAT out of their reply!

  Therefore, based on their response where it clearly states,"The evaporator coil we installed in 2017 does have a 10 year parts warranty but thats on the equipment itself, not the company that installed it, to resolve this issue I believe 1st Quality Air should do one of the following:

  1. Provide me with the part since they just put in writing that it is still under warranty or provide me with a refund equal to the amount of the part.
  2. Provide me with any and all necessary documentation so another company can obtain the part and do the work.
  

  Thank you,
  

  *****************************
  

  
  

  Business response

  06/05/2023

  There is nowhere legally stated that hvac companies are responsible for registering a consumers warranty for them.  It is the customers responsibility to register their equipment with the manufacturer in order to maintain their full warranty, not the responsibility of the company that installs it. If the homeowner did not file warranty paperwork to extend his warranty for the full 10 years, that is his fault. as stated before, we do not owe this customer anything for any reason. He is outside the labor warranty that expired after 2019.  We will not be providing any further service or warranty work for this customer and are completely within our legal rights.  Also, as stated by the homeowner directly to me, he stated that he had not touched the system for any reason since the evaporator coil was installed in 2017. Warranty information clearly states that constant service maintenance is required to maintain the manufacturers warranty, and this customer has failed to do any of this With our company. Therefore, his manufacturers warranty would have been voided anyway. He would have to show proof of yearly maintenance in order to have any valid  warranty. 

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