ComplaintsforIQAir North America, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  05/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This complaint is regarding a CleanZone SL unit delivered with external damage. We have been attempting to resolve this issue with IQAir for 4 months.Initially contacted IQAir on 1/24/24 regarding this issue. Told by IQ Air that they would pick up the damaged unit and replace it. Per ******* C, we had to put it on a pallet to be picked up, and a new unit would arrive via ****** 1/29/24-Confirmed IQAir would exchange the unit. Old Dominion would pick it up for transport. Another unit was in stock to be shipped immediately. 2/20/24-Spoke with ********************** about unit. Sent her photos of the damage (CRM:063202432). 2/21/24-********* informed me that the warehouse had received our photos. We could disassemble the damaged pieces, secure them on a pallet to be returned to them, and reassemble new pieces. No longer offering to exchange the unit.3/28/24-Told ********* that we did not want to disassemble/reassemble the damaged unit and wanted to exchange it for a new one. I was informed that I been given the wrong information in January and the unit could not be exchanged. She was escalating our issue to her supervisor *****, to see if somehow the unit could be exchanged, or we could be compensated for the damage. Followed up several times for updates. 4/4/24-she told me I should reach out to ***** directly for updates. 4/8/24-I left ***** a voicemail to please call me back and she never did.4/9/24-Emailed **************** 4/16/24-****** informed us that the technical support team was assigning our repair to a technician would come to us to repair the unit. Technician would contact us with their availability. 4/29/24-No update. 5/9/24- we informed ****** that we would be escalating this issue. 5/20/24-Still no update.This issue is unacceptable and needs to be rectified. Requesting replacement of the damaged panels of the existing unit and/or a sufficient refund or credit.

  Business response

  05/31/2024

  My sincere apologies for the delay in resolving this issue. I am currently working with the sales team, with whom the customer has also been communicating, to provide a resolution that we hope will satisfy this customer, based on their request and our most recent communications. I hope to have more information next week and will reach out to the customer directly. At that point, I believe we will be able to conclude the matter here as well.

• Initial Complaint

  05/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  In April 2024 I conctacted IQ Air to request interior cleaning of my HealthPro Plus, including replacement of the styrofoam encasement surrounding the fan, which has become discolored. I was told this service could be performed for $195 + free return shipping if I pay to ship the unit to them. Because I have fragrance allergies & chemical sensitivities, I inquired what product would be used to clean the unit. I was told that Clorox Ecoclean would be used because it is "all natural" and is "safe" and "approved." However, this product contains fragrance, which is actually not safe for people with certain medical conditions. The concept of safe is relative. Wheat gluten is safe for some people, and it is very unsafe for people with celiac disease. So the agent telling me the product is "safe" completely misses the segement of the population who would be adversely affected by this product. I offered to personally supply an alternative non-toxic & fragrance-free cleaning product at my own expense. I was told this is impossible because the Clorox product is the ONLY one their team is 'allowed' to use. The representative refused to allow me to work out an alternative product that could be used to allow resolution of my issue. The Clorox product information itself states that it's fragrance ingredients are on the ** list of fragrance allergens and the **** list of carcinogens. IQ Air is company with international reach and unparalleled technical expertise that sells products designed to support or enhance human health related to environmental contaminants and indoor air quality. That they would then use a cleaning product which contains ingredients that actually have potential to adversely affect the health of their customers while refusing to provide an alternative option is very concerning. I am sincerely requesting IQ Air escalate this request to a supervisor and that an alternative option is provided to allow me to pay to have my unit serviced in a safe manner.

  Business response

  05/01/2024

  One of our Specialists is currently working with the customer. We believe we found a solution and is awaiting response from the customer.

  Customer response

  05/06/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********. They are working with me now to find resolution to my issue.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

• Initial Complaint

  01/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Purchased an IQAir monitor in Sept 2022. For the past couple of months, it has not been able to charge (and therefore, turn on). Contacted IQAir customer service. They informed me that they would look at the device but I would need to pay US$100 (approximately) to ship the item to them. That is 1/4 of the cost of the device. Their shoddy product. Their responsibility. I am contacting their North American and global head offices so their senior management is aware of my concerns too. Big goliath corporations typically do not care about after care service so do not expect much but perhaps I can save another consumer from purchasing an IQAir product in the future.

  Business response

  01/31/2024

  Hi **********, 

  I am following up regarding our conversation last week. I want to confirm that you received the new AirVisual Pro. ***** tracking # 270207860455 shows it was delivered 1/29/24. As discussed, I've shared your feedback with senior management, and we are reviewing our return policy. 

  Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns. 

  Thanks, 

  ****************
  ************* Supervisor
  **********************
  Phone: ***************
  E-Mail: *****************************************
  Web: *****************************************

  Customer response

  02/08/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I am actually impressed by how it was handled and have contacted their global and NA head offices to give positive feedback re their customer service manager.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

• Initial Complaint

  01/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have owned an IQAir health pro plus air purifier for several years. I purchased and received two of the filters that need replacement. I contacted the company just prior to Christmas stating I need help with repair, due to a problem replacing a filter which is incorreclty inserted. I received an email that they would respond to my request for assistance within 2 business days. Today I had heard nothing, so went on line and found a place to request a specific appointment, which I did for earlier today. No one kept the scheduled appointment. I then scheduled another appt for later this afternoon. The same thing happened. I waited on line for them to admit me to a meeting, which they never did. I then sent an email reply to the confirmation message asking if there was a problem with keeping my appointment. No response from the company. No acknowledgement from the company. I still cannot get assistance with the repair, so cannot use the machine.

  Business response

  01/08/2024

  Reached out to the customer via phone and email. Found the email address we responded to on 12/26 and 12/28 was missing a letter. Corrected the email address in our system and notified the customer. Customer was able to rectify the issue. Sent a follow up email to offer a free pre-filter as a courtesy for her troubles. 

  Customer response

  01/19/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  11/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I entered into a finance agreement with iq air in ******** dollars. The initial deposit was 145 which came out correctly and the rest of the payments were supposed to be ****** (0 interested finance). The issues lies in the fact that both September and October have come out in usd on my account and not ******** dollars. Approx ******, the other for 143 and change - Depending on the dollar at the time. I would like a refund for the difference and for the foreign conversion fees we paid. and also for this to stop before the next payment. We have called several times, sent the bank records as requested and no one calls us back. At this point I just want to return the machine because this has been a total headache. No one will address anything on the phone. This was on top of other issues we had with the machine itself.

• Initial Complaint

  10/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  I bought an IQ Air HealthProPlus about 5-6 years ago.IQAir Air warrants the system for 10 years.The air filter now gives off a very unpleasant chemical odor, even though the filters havent exceeded their useful lifespan (the filter counts hours of use for each of the three different filters).IQAir now refuses to honor the 10 year warranty, saying the filters are not covered.Given that the filters cost hundreds of dollars and are a central part of the air purifier, this is of course totally ridiculous.

  Business response

  10/17/2023

  Thank you for your message. We are saddened to hear the customer is not satisfied with our air purifier. We spoke to the customer on 10/10/23 regarding the issue and the customer is to preform an isolation test to pinpoint which filters are causing an odor. We are waiting on his response with the results of the isolation test.

  The 10 year limited warranty card included with our IQAir HealthPro Plus air purifier notes that filters are not covered since filters are consumables. Airborne particulates and contaminants are captured by the filter media and the filter(s) will need to be replaced at some point. Each use case is different, but based on their complaint it appears the filters have already been in the machine for 4-5 years. We would like to hear more about their experience to better understand their specific use case.

  Thank you for choosing IQAir!

  Customer response

  10/18/2023

   
  Complaint: 20702087
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  On the website it states the system has a warranty of 10 years. There wasnt any mentioning of the filters being excluded.
  

  Be that as it may, the service director **** contacted me and offered to replace the odorous filter, but I havent had the time yet to do the isolation test but hope to do so this weekend.

  If IQAir replaces the odorous filter, I will drop my complaint and this would settle the issue.

  I hope to be able to communicate with the company on Monday, otherwise there will be a two week delay due to a trip to Europe with me being out of the country as of Monday pm.

  Sincerely,
  
  *****************, Md

• Initial Complaint

  09/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I spoke with a representative at IQ Air on 9/25, named *******************, he placed an order for me, told me the total amount was $874. I spoke with my credit card company, the charge was for $930 and I NEVER received and email confirmation of the order OR a tracking number. I followed up with a call to IQ Air the following day 9/26, after being passed around to 3 different representatives, **** called me back to assure me that my order was placed. He then emailed me a copy of the order with the charge for $874, but again according to my credit card company the charge IQ Air placed was $930. I went onto the company website to check the status of my order and according to the companies own website my order does NOT EXIST. I have tried to email and call the company but have recieved no response.

  Business response

  10/05/2023

  Hello,

  We contacted the customer via phone on 9/29/23 and apologized for the miscommunication regarding the order total. We believe this issue has been resolved to the customer's satisfaction. Please let us know if you need anything else.

  
  Thank you for choosing IQAir
  

  Customer response

  10/05/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I received a phone call from the customer service department at **********************. The issue was resolved .I received the product it was a mistake made by one of their employees that was rectified. I am very happy with the product and the solution to the issue.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  03/22/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I purchased a iq multi gas air cleaner in April of 2016 from achoo allergy. The machine is advertised on the web and all over the box of having a 10 yr warranty. The filter is used in my autistic daughters room because of her chemical sensitivities. The last few months the fan starting to make a humming noise and seems to be getting worse. It is starting to disturb her sleep. When emailing iq air direct they said the unit is out of warranty. I have all the original paperwork box and receipt. It is not out of warranty. When i called, they said it isn't under warranty because i bought it from a 3rd party seller. Achoo allergy says at the time of purchase they were a authorized dealer and are not anymore, but iq air should ***** the warranty. Iq air wants me to pay for the shipping and repairs of the unit, which would would cost me over $200.00 dollars. When i already paid them $1200.00 for the unit and $500.00 every year since the purchase for filters. False advertisement if they are going to advertise a 10yr warranty and not repair the filter. How can a company advertise a 10 yr warranty making the consumer believe they are getting a quality product. Then not cover the item? I didn't but a used machine, it was in 2 sealed boxes from iq air. At this point having a special needs child is hard enough, but now trying to find the money to fix something that is under warranty. That's is not right.

  Business response

  03/25/2023

  Hello, 

  After speaking to the customer on Thursday, March 23rd, 2023, and gathered more information, customer claims that he did register his system for warranty by mailing his registration card to our corporate office back in 2016. Although we have no record of his registration being received and he was not able to provide confirmation of warranty, IQAir will be honoring the customers repair request under warranty terms. Customer provided proof of purchase, and we confirmed that the place of purchase was an IQAir authorized dealer.at the time of purchase. IQAir provided a shipping label to the customer at a discounted price, so that the customer and send in this system for evaluation and repair. 

  For record.,IQAir Warranty terms are as followed: 

   We are proud to cover IQAir GC ****** air cleaning systems with a one-year limited warranty. The Limited Warranty applies only to IQAir products purchased in North America directly from IQAir North America, Inc. (or from an IQAir Authorized Dealer). Also, the original first purchaser of a genuine IQAir GC ****** air cleaning system may convert the one-year limited warranty that came with the product to a 10-************ Warranty for residential use (two years for commercial use) by completing, within thirty (30) days from the date of purchase, the IQAir online Limited Warranty application process at ********************************************** or by sending in the completed mail-in warranty application card (or by faxing it to **************). During the online Limited Warranty registration process, you will need to provide the actual Serial Number of the product that is being registered. This IQAir GC ****** limited warranty is only valid for the original first purchaser. It is non-transferable. The warranty for replaced parts will expire automatically with the termination of the original systems warranty.

  Our Warranty Policy also states, What is not covered by the Limited Warranty? The customer is responsible for shipping charges to IQAir and IQAir is responsible for return shipping charges (via ground shipping) to correct defects in material and workmanship during the warranty period. IQAir will not refund shipping, handling or insurance costs for warranty repairs. IQAir covers the shipping costs going back to the customer for ground shipping only. Should a faster shipping service be required, additional shipping costs will apply and are the responsibility of the customer.

  Our entire Policy is as follows: How long does the IQAir GC ****** Limited Warranty last?
   We are proud to cover IQAirGC ****** air cleaning systems with a one-year limited warranty. The Limited Warranty applies only to IQAir products purchased in North America directly from IQAir North America, Inc. (or from an IQAir Authorized Dealer).Also, the original first purchaser of a genuine IQAir GC ****** air cleaning system may convert the one-year limited warranty that came with the product to a 10-************ Warranty for residential use (two years for commercial use)by completing, within thirty (30) days from the date of purchase, the IQAir online Limited Warranty application process at ********************************************** or by sending in the completed mail-in warranty application card (or by faxing it to **************). During the online Limited Warranty registration process,you will need to provide the actual Serial Number of the product that is being registered. This IQAir GC ****** limited warranty is only valid for the original first purchaser. It is non-transferable. The warranty for replaced parts will expire automatically with the termination of the original systems warranty. Filters are consumables and are not covered under this warranty.
  
  What will IQAir do in terms of the Limited Warranty?
  During the applicable limited warranty period, IQAir will repair or replace (at its option) any product, part, or component covered by this limited warranty which fails under normal use as a result of a defect in material or workmanship. IQAir will repair or replace the product, part or component with a comparable component. IMPORTANT NOTE: All products you wish to return for service or repair must be accompanied by a Return Authorization Number (** Number). This number and shipping instructions can be obtained by contacting the IQAir Technical Support Team. The ** Number must be clearly visible on all external packaging. IQAir reserves the right to refuse any shipment received without ** Number and to return the shipment at the original senders cost.
  
  What is not covered by the Limited Warranty? IQAir limits its warranty within the country of purchase. If the IQAir GC ****** air cleaning system is shipped outside the country of purchase, then the warranty will be void. This warranty is no longer valid if the system has been connected to a power supply other than that which is specified for this product or if a power transformer has been used. The customer is responsible for shipping charges to IQAir and IQAir is responsible for return shipping charges (via ground shipping) to correct defects in material and workmanship during the warranty period. IQAir will not refund shipping, handling or insurance costs for warranty repairs. IQAir covers the shipping costs going back to the customer for ground shipping only. Should a faster shipping service be required, additional shipping costs will apply and are the responsibility of the customer. To secure your warranty rights and prevent possible transport damage, all products must be returned in original IQAir packaging, otherwise the warranty is void. Please keep the original packaging. Alternatively,original IQAir packaging can be ordered, for a nominal fee, from IQAir. Any misuse, abuse or modification to the original product voids the limited warranty. The use of inferior replacement filters will void this limited warranty. Sender & Address: IQAir North America, Inc. Warranty Registration ********************************************************************************** Stamp

   

  Please let ** know if there is any other information needed., 

   

  Thank you, 

   

  IQAir

   

   

   

   

  Customer response

  04/19/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  11/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have purchased two air filtration machines from IQAir, the HealthPro Plus model, to treat a health issue related to a poor air quality of mold and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the home. On their website, IQAir makes claims that their machines filters VOCs. However, after purchasing a unit, and using it in less than the maximum recommended square footage (mine: 874sqft vs theirs: 1125sqft), I found that the VOC levels were still persistent in the air, as displayed on a third-party digital air quality meter. I then decided to purchase another unit, thinking that maybe the one unit was just struggling to keep up, but now the second unit has been functioning in the same way and the VOCs are still an issue! On IQAir's website they discuss the efficiency of the particulate filtering only and there is no information available (to the consumer) regarding the efficiency of the VOC filtering. And when I chatted in to request this information - third-party testing data, asking for a link to the data, I was told that it was company policy to keep the data from the public. On their website it says, regarding the VOC filtering, that: "V5 Cell Filter MG. Purpose: control of a wide range of chemical contaminants and odors. Media: MultiGas granulated activated carbon & impregnated activated alumina (AC/4 + IA/4)." But my air quality meter consistently reads higher levels that indicate that the VOCs are being missed by the machine, regardless of how many of them I have, how long they are run, or on which speed they are set. I have contacted support to no resolve and have been met with apathetic resistance. The two different methods that I have tried in contacting the company (email & chat) have both been useless. They are only concerned about protecting the sales of these units, and any effort for me to supply scientific evidence is side-stepped and avoided through slow and short defensive responses.

  Business response

  11/16/2022

  **** has attempted to reach ******************************* to work together on a resolution. We will honor **************************** request for a refund once we arrange the return of his 2 ************** systems and confirmed that they have been received. We encourage *** to reach out to our Technical Support team so that we can provide the support needed to return the items. He can reach our Support team at **************, Monday- Friday, 8am-4:30pm, Pacific Time.

  Customer response

  12/02/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  Included are two correspondences regarding this case. The first is an email from Nov 28, 2022 10:17AM, which is in response to BBB's initial email regarding this case. The second is notes from an attempt to reach IQAir by phone, to satisfy their request that was included in their reply to this claim.
  
  The First correspondence:
  
  Dear Better Business Bureau,
  
  IQAir's response has several issues:
  1) They never contacted me, even though they are saying that they made an attempt to. I checked all of my personal contact platforms - 1 cell phone, 1 landline, and several email addresses, including voice mailboxes, and any attempt to make contact was absent.
  
  2) I requested access to their third party testing data regarding the ***s in order to justify the return and nothing has been mentioned about this. And this request for the data was to verify whose claim is correct - their claim that their machine does filter ***s, and my claim that it filters very little, if any. Sending the units back before seeing this data would be sending them back prematurely. These machines do a great job at filtering ultra-fine particles and I just need some verification on the performance of the *** filtering before considering a return. It would be a shame to have to return these machines, as there are no other products on the market that filter this well. However, the problem is with the *** filtering, and this is what I am trying to get resolved, both for myself and for future IQAir consumers. And only the third-party *** testing data can solve this issue, meaning one of two things, that either it filters ***s and IQAir is required be transparent and disclose how well, and can therefore continue making their current claims; or they have to remove such claims from their information altogether - website, manuals, advertising, ect., in order to be accurate.
  
  This company is trying to take the easy way out by offering a simple return on these two insignificant machines, which is a much smaller loss for them than to have to redesign a product, change all of the company's information on the product, and/or pull the V5 Cell *** carbon filters from the market! This company needs to be held accountable for their misleadings. If I were to accept a refund and nothing else is done they will be enabled to continue the deception with other customers. But if I reject the offer, then my complaint will be added to the ongoing pile that will eventually build up and force them to make corrections. But, honestly, right now I am stuck with having paid a lot of money for a product that only partially does what it claims to do, and this is the issue that still needs resolving, aside from any returns and refunding, so I am at a loss on how to proceed.
  
  Also, the company has yet to disclose who will be responsible for paying the return shipping, and whether or not this will be a complete refund. So this also makes it difficult to accept the current offer.
  
  I had already made several attempts to remedy this situation before contacting the Better Business Bureau and I would rather avoid having to work with them again, as they are apathetic and defensive and have ignored my previous requests and suggestions, and this will only bring on added stress with having to contact them again.
  
  But, I could easily return these machines and purchase another set of air purifiers from a different company - and it would be great to be able to get my money back for these two expensive machines - but by doing so IQAir would be allowed to continue selling a product that potentially fails to meet their claims. And, really, there are no air purifier companies out there that are willing to disclose their third party testing data, which means that this is an industry-wide issue with *** filtering. So, there really would be no way to remedy this problem, from my perspective, going from one company that makes exaggerated claims to another. Maybe I should just keep the machines and instead stop buying the replacement *** filters, since there is really no machines available that effectively do this? Is there anything else that the BBB can do to hold this company accountable?
  
  But, on second thought, if IQAir would offer a full refund and pay return shipping then I would most likely accept the offer. And this would be because I can find an air purifying company that has a product that is more affordable and that offers replacement filters that use eco-friendly materials, too. But if I was to return these machines, then there is also the issue with the V5 Cell carbon *** filters that I feel should also be refunded, due to their lack of filtering ability, that I have been buying for a while now. And, in addition to this, all of the filter indicator lights on the machines are currently green - indicating that all of the filters have recently been replaced, so it seems reasonable that I should also get a refund for the unused portions of these filters, for two Pre-filters and two HyperHEPA filters, along with two V5 Cells and however many V5 Cells that I have used to date, which would probably be at least two to possibly even four. So, yes, this could add up really fast, and it has been - which is another source of discontentment.
  
  
  The second correspondence:
  
  On December 1st, 2022 I attempted to connect with IQAir regarding this case, using the phone number provided in their response, **************, and was told that the person that I needed to talk to, ****** (last name withheld), was in a meeting, and that she would call me back. This was at 10:12AM and they have yet to return my call, over a day and a half later, even though at their request, I gave them my name and phone number.
  
  Please readvise. Thank you.

  Business response

  12/16/2022

  Hello,
  
  I attempted to reach ************************ on 12/02/2022, and left him a voicemail at 4:16pm, pst.
  
  I called ************************ for the 2nd time on 12/16/22 and was able to connect with him. After going over through his concerns, we decided on sending his a few accessory parts that we think will make his system work more effectively. We also spoke about the option of exchanging his systems for a different model, one that has more VOC coverage than the systems he currently owns. However, he was open to different trouble shooting steps that we will be working together on resolving. *** has my contact information to connect with me directly .
  
  Thank you,
  
  *************************
  IQAir

  Customer response

  12/16/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  (Attention Better Business Bureau: Please add an option other than "Yes" or "No" for adding additional notes to the complaint record. In this particular case, "Yes" I am accepting this business's current proposed resolution, but "No" because the proposed resolution may fail and additional work may be necessary to reach a better resolution. So, neither option is totally correct.)
  
  I do accept this business's current proposed resolution, but only in part and temporarily as a primary step in reaching a permanent resolution.
  
  We are presently working towards a solution, but still there is an issue with the design of the product, and with the withholding of information pertinent to how well the machine works in filtering VOCs, this resolution process is being extended. I suspect that this information, the third-party testing data, is being withheld because it is derogatory in nature against the machine's performance ability and would affect the sales of the machine; because if it was favorable surely the information would be readily available, this withholding of information signaling an issue with the performance of the machine - most likely after it had been designed, with it being less capable than originally calculated (and this most likely due to the side-design of the exhaust vents).
  
  If in the event that the proposed solution fails to fully remedy the situation it will then be necessary to initiate a return for a full refund, in addition to a partial refund for the unused portions of the HyperHepa, V5 Cell, and Prefilter filters.
  
  In the event that the accessory attachments do work, and therefore the machines filter VOCs properly and this complaint is remedied, I will request that the accessory attachments be provided free of charge, as these would be a necessary component for the machine to function as advertised.
  
  But there is also now a new issue surfacing, that the new accessory attachments could cause the HyperHepa, V5 Cell, and Prefilter filters to wear out much sooner than originally proposed, due to smaller amounts of the filtered exhaust air, exiting from the side exhaust vents, immediately entering the system and, therefore, forcing the machine to draw additional amounts of dirty air through the filters. And all of this because the accessory attachments would now be exhausting the filtered air much further away from the air intake vent of the machine - without the attachments this distance is only 28 inches (with the original side-vent design). And due to this potential additional issue, it may be necessary instead to return both machines, in favor of finding a product that offers a traditional exhaust vent design, one orientated to discharge the air in an upward direction, up and away from the machine, to get the VOCs to filter properly.
  
  And this current exhaust vent design to the sides was probably an engineering answer to how to get the filters to last a longer, due to their initial design goal to filter ultra-fine particulates; and this proposed solution of venting to the sides would allow a large majority of the filtered exhaust air to *********** back into the system. Had these vents exhausted upward and away from the intake vent then the machine would have had to filter larger quantities of dirty air, and for longer periods of time, and this added burden would have then shortened the life of the filters and required them to be replaced more frequently, which ultimately would have made the machine difficult to market.
  
  We will have to see how the new outflow accessory attachments work before proceeding any further. And this could take several weeks to a month or longer to properly collect the necessary amount of data to make a proper evaluation.
  
  I am currently accepting this business's proposed resolution - of sending the accessory attachments, but this is dependent on these attachments working and the machines filtering VOCs as intended. If the machines still fails to filter correctly, within reason, I will either 1. agree to try one GCMultigas model, or 2. I will return the two HealthPro Plus models (and the accessory attachments) for a full refund plus a prorated refund for the unused portion of the HyperHepa, V5 Cell, and PreFilter filters.
  

  Business response

  12/30/2022

  Hello,
  
  We have been in contact to solve his concerns. The customer requested we send an accessory part that can better help his filtration and air quality, which we sent and was received on 12/21/22. We are waiting to hear back from the customer on the results or any further concerns he may have. We followed up with the customer on 12/30/22 via email.
  
  Thank you,
  
  IQAir

  Business response

  01/20/2023

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/11/16) */ QAir has attempted to reach Mr. *** ********** to work together on a resolution. We will honor Mr. **********'s request for a refund once we arrange the return of his 2 HealthPro Plus systems and confirmed that they have been received. We encourage *** to reach out to our Technical Support team so that we can provide the support needed to return the items. He can reach our Support team at **************, Monday- Friday, 8am-4:30pm, Pacific Time. Consumer Response /* (3000, 8, 2022/12/02) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Included are two correspondences regarding this case. The first is an email from Nov 28, 2022 10:17AM, which is in response to BBB's initial email regarding this case. The second is notes from an attempt to reach IQAir by phone, to satisfy their request that was included in their reply to this claim. The First correspondence: Dear Better Business Bureau, IQAir's response has several issues: 1) They never contacted me, even though they are saying that they made an attempt to. I checked all of my personal contact platforms - 1 cell phone, 1 landline, and several email addresses, including voice mailboxes, and any attempt to make contact was absent. 2) I requested access to their third party testing data regarding the VOCs in order to justify the return and nothing has been mentioned about this. And this request for the data was to verify whose claim is correct - their claim that their machine does filter VOCs, and my claim that it filters very little, if any. Sending the units back before seeing this data would be sending them back prematurely. These machines do a great job at filtering ultra-fine particles and I just need some verification on the performance of the VOC filtering before considering a return. It would be a shame to have to return these machines, as there are no other products on the market that filter this well. However, the problem is with the VOC filtering, and this is what I am trying to get resolved, both for myself and for future IQAir consumers. And only the third-party VOC testing data can solve this issue, meaning one of two things, that either it filters VOCs and IQAir is required be transparent and disclose how well, and can therefore continue making their current claims; or they have to remove such claims from their information altogether - website, manuals, advertising, ect., in order to be accurate. This company is trying to take the easy way out by offering a simple return on these two insignificant machines, which is a much smaller loss for them than to have to redesign a product, change all of the company's information on the product, and/or pull the V5 Cell VOC carbon filters from the market! This company needs to be held accountable for their misleadings. If I were to accept a refund and nothing else is done they will be enabled to continue the deception with other customers. But if I reject the offer, then my complaint will be added to the ongoing pile that will eventually build up and force them to make corrections. But, honestly, right now I am stuck with having paid a lot of money for a product that only partially does what it claims to do, and this is the issue that still needs resolving, aside from any returns and refunding, so I am at a loss on how to proceed. Also, the company has yet to disclose who will be responsible for paying the return shipping, and whether or not this will be a complete refund. So this also makes it difficult to accept the current offer. I had already made several attempts to remedy this situation before contacting the Better Business Bureau and I would rather avoid having to work with them again, as they are apathetic and defensive and have ignored my previous requests and suggestions, and this will only bring on added stress with having to contact them again. But, I could easily return these machines and purchase another set of air purifiers from a different company - and it would be great to be able to get my money back for these two expensive machines - but by doing so IQAir would be allowed to continue selling a product that potentially fails to meet their claims. And, really, there are no air purifier companies out there that are willing to disclose their third party testing data, which means that this is an industry-wide issue with VOC filtering. So, there really would be no way to remedy this problem, from my perspective, going from one company that makes exaggerated claims to another. Maybe I should just keep the machines and instead stop buying the replacement VOC filters, since there is really no machines available that effectively do this? Is there anything else that the BBB can do to hold this company accountable? But, on second thought, if IQAir would offer a full refund and pay return shipping then I would most likely accept the offer. And this would be because I can find an air purifying company that has a product that is more affordable and that offers replacement filters that use eco-friendly materials, too. But if I was to return these machines, then there is also the issue with the V5 Cell carbon VOC filters that I feel should also be refunded, due to their lack of filtering ability, that I have been buying for a while now. And, in addition to this, all of the filter indicator lights on the machines are currently green - indicating that all of the filters have recently been replaced, so it seems reasonable that I should also get a refund for the unused portions of these filters, for two Pre-filters and two HyperHEPA filters, along with two V5 Cells and however many V5 Cells that I have used to date, which would probably be at least two to possibly even four. So, yes, this could add up really fast, and it has been - which is another source of discontentment. The second correspondence: On December 1st, 2022 I attempted to connect with IQAir regarding this case, using the phone number provided in their response, **************, and was told that the person that I needed to talk to, Carina (last name withheld), was in a meeting, and that she would call me back. This was at 10:12AM and they have yet to return my call, over a day and a half later, even though at their request, I gave them my name and phone number. Please readvise. Thank you. Business Response /* (4000, 10, 2022/12/16) */ Hello, I attempted to reach Mr. ********** on 12/02/2022, and left him a voicemail at 4:16pm, pst. I called Mr. ********** for the 2nd time on 12/16/22 and was able to connect with him. After going over through his concerns, we decided on sending his a few accessory parts that we think will make his system work more effectively. We also spoke about the option of exchanging his systems for a different model, one that has more VOC coverage than the systems he currently owns. However, he was open to different trouble shooting steps that we will be working together on resolving. *** has my contact information to connect with me directly . Thank you, Karina******* IQAir Consumer Response /* (4200, 12, 2022/12/16) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) (Attention Better Business Bureau: Please add an option other than "Yes" or "No" for adding additional notes to the complaint record. In this particular case, "Yes" I am accepting this business's current proposed resolution, but "No" because the proposed resolution may fail and additional work may be necessary to reach a better resolution. So, neither option is totally correct.) I do accept this business's current proposed resolution, but only in part and temporarily as a primary step in reaching a permanent resolution. We are presently working towards a solution, but still there is an issue with the design of the product, and with the withholding of information pertinent to how well the machine works in filtering VOCs, this resolution process is being extended. I suspect that this information, the third-party testing data, is being withheld because it is derogatory in nature against the machine's performance ability and would affect the sales of the machine; because if it was favorable surely the information would be readily available, this withholding of information signaling an issue with the performance of the machine - most likely after it had been designed, with it being less capable than originally calculated (and this most likely due to the side-design of the exhaust vents). If in the event that the proposed solution fails to fully remedy the situation it will then be necessary to initiate a return for a full refund, in addition to a partial refund for the unused portions of the HyperHepa, V5 Cell, and Prefilter filters. In the event that the accessory attachments do work, and therefore the machines filter VOCs properly and this complaint is remedied, I will request that the accessory attachments be provided free of charge, as these would be a necessary component for the machine to function as advertised. But there is also now a new issue surfacing, that the new accessory attachments could cause the HyperHepa, V5 Cell, and Prefilter filters to wear out much sooner than originally proposed, due to smaller amounts of the filtered exhaust air, exiting from the side exhaust vents, immediately entering the system and, therefore, forcing the machine to draw additional amounts of dirty air through the filters. And all of this because the accessory attachments would now be exhausting the filtered air much further away from the air intake vent of the machine - without the attachments this distance is only 28 inches (with the original side-vent design). And due to this potential additional issue, it may be necessary instead to return both machines, in favor of finding a product that offers a traditional exhaust vent design, one orientated to discharge the air in an upward direction, up and away from the machine, to get the VOCs to filter properly. And this current exhaust vent design to the sides was probably an engineering answer to how to get the filters to last a longer, due to their initial design goal to filter ultra-fine particulates; and this proposed solution of venting to the sides would allow a large majority of the filtered exhaust air to enter right back into the system. Had these vents exhausted upward and away from the intake vent then the machine would have had to filter larger quantities of dirty air, and for longer periods of time, and this added burden would have then shortened the life of the filters and required them to be replaced more frequently, which ultimately would have made the machine difficult to market. We will have to see how the new outflow accessory attachments work before proceeding any further. And this could take several weeks to a month or longer to properly collect the necessary amount of data to make a proper evaluation. I am currently accepting this business's proposed resolution - of sending the accessory attachments, but this is dependent on these attachments working and the machines filtering VOCs as intended. If the machines still fails to filter correctly, within reason, I will either 1. agree to try one GCMultigas model, or 2. I will return the two HealthPro Plus models (and the accessory attachments) for a full refund plus a prorated refund for the unused portion of the HyperHepa, V5 Cell, and PreFilter filters. Business Response /* (4000, 14, 2022/12/30) */ Hello, We have been in contact to solve his concerns. The customer requested we send an accessory part that can better help his filtration and air quality, which we sent and was received on 12/21/22. We are waiting to hear back from the customer on the results or any further concerns he may have. We followed up with the customer on 12/30/22 via email. Thank you, IQAir

  Customer response

  01/28/2023

  ***Document Attached***
  Dear Better Business Bureau,
  
  Please reopen this case as we continue to work towards a resolution.
  
  I have attempted to communicate with IQAir's representative ************************* twice now, once on January 13th, and again on January 23rd, with no response in either attempt. And this was in regards to questions that she had previously asked, to give her an update on how the accessory attachments had been doing,.
  
  I also attempted to contact her on January 27th by phone, at the phone number that she has provided, ************, but had to leave a message because she was not available. This was at 3:53pm CST. At 4:16pm a representative from IQAir called back, stating that they had seen a missed call and **************** was in another meeting, and she proceeded to take my name, phone number, and reason for calling and told me that **************** would most likely call me back by the end of the day, which she failed to do. Nor has she replied to the emails from January 13th and 23rd, so it now appears that this case is actively being avoided and the resolution of a return and full refund is being withdrawn.
  
  The bottom line is that the accessory attachments have only partially solved the problem, and that IQAir is refusing to release the third-party testing data to help to get to the heart of the matter, instead causing me to do all of the testing on my end to try to fix a problem that *** never truly be fixable because of the poor design and functionality of the machine, that they are seemingly aware of.
  
  Since a month and a half's worth of dealing with this failed troubleshooting, it is evident that moving forward with the return is the only viable solution, because everything that can possibly be done to fix the problem has been done, including the use of the accessory attachments provided by IQAir, at my request, and because IQAir has been refusing to fully cooperate on their end by continuing to withhold the third-parting testing data, data that would help determine if the problem lies in the air quality meter that is being used or in the ************** machines and their ability to properly filter the VOCs, possibly even adding to the total VOC count while in operation.
  
  And now it appears that the return request is being avoided, even though it had previously been agreed to, to accept a return for a full refund. Twice now the topic has been avoided when mentioned two different email correspondence.
  
  It has now been two weeks since receiving any correspondence from *****************
  
  Please refer to the attached file for the details of the latest email correspondences.
  
  Thank you,
  ***************************
  
  See Attachment/File: IQAir email correspondence Dec 16 2022 to Jan 23 2023.pdf

  Business response

  02/04/2023

  Hello, 

  I have responded to *********************************** email, where he lists the items, he will be returning to IQAir for refund. I have issued a return in our system for the customer, reference. return number, *********. We will provide *** all the necessary shipping labels and shipping packages he may need for returns. 

  In my email response, i asked ***, if he would be available for a call early next week so that we can finalize the return items and refund. Once those details are confirmed, the customer will 15 days to return all items. Once we can confirm that items have been received to our return center, a refund will be issued. 

  Thank you,

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

  Customer Care Manager

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

   

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩