ComplaintsforRex's Plumbing & Heating

• Initial Complaint

  11/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  *** came to do the initial work on 09/19-09/20 and the company invoiced us for $1,490.00. When the service was completed we paid the invoice. We had a trip planned and promptly left town on the 09/20. When we returned from our trip, we took showers and discovered the faulty workmanship provided by the plumber. The leak was located in a wall in a closet in one of the bedrooms where he had improperly installed a scaled arrestor. As shown in the attached video, the water was gushing and causing ample water damage to the basement apartment which had just received new flooring and paint. The plumber said they would schedule a time to come and we had to insist while explaining that the amount of water leaking was untenable and needed to be addressed immediately. Initially, *** hired Mitigate Pro, a damage mitigation company. They set up fans and heaters but did not do a comprehensive job. The fans ran from 10/09 to 10/17 which required the tenants to evacuate and caused general discomfort among the upstairs residence. On the 10/17 we received a letter from *** stating what he was willing to cover. That letter is attached. We felt the letter did not meet the needs of the tenant nor us and did not begin to comprehensively address the repairs required to repair the damage caused by the plumbers initial work. For that, we wrote a response on 10/17 which is attached, and asked for what we thought was fair. We left the door open for him to negotiate and just asked that communication be open as to get the tenants back into their home. On 10/20 the mitigation professionals removed their equipment. We have since sent a follow up email to *** and have yet to receive any response. We have since needed to pay out of pocket for a storage container for our tenants, we have hired a new mitigation company because of the incomplete work done by the company *** hired and we have missed out one of our main income sources as we did not feel comfortable charging our tenants.

  

  Business response

  02/23/2024

        A technician was dispatched to the ****** residence on Oct. 19th for replacing a tub and shower valve to a pressure balanced one so the hot and cold were a more constant stable temperature. Customer asked ************** to also repair a leak in the galvanized water line in the basement right below where the tub and shower is.While looking at the galvanized water line that was leaking he noticed that there was a very moldy musty smell coming from the location below the tub and shower.  The client accepted the quote and we returned the next day to do the installation. ************** has written a statement as to what he says he did.
  Skip ****** Notes from Technician:

  September 19th
  I showed up to look at the valve (shower) because the client wanted to add a mixing valve since his wife complains about the shower going either really hot or really cold when he runs the kitchen sink.
  While I was there on September 19th the client also asked me to repair a leak in his galvanized water line in the basement.While looking at the galvanized line to quote I noticed the mildew/musty smell that comes with old 1928s-1940s homes, like the home of the client.
  I quoted the cost to repair the water line and replace the shower valve and client accepted. I let him know that I couldnt complete the work that day and he accepted that knowing I would be back in the morning,
  September 19th
  I repaired the leaking galvanized water line and part of the valve leaving with the water capped off to the shower. Client told me he had another shower downstairs.
  September 20th
  I finished shower valve, tested and left. I didnt see a leak but to have missed it. Client also noted that they were going out of town and that they wanted everything to be done.
  September 20th
  Client was packing up 5th wheel while I was working
  October 9th
  Client called about squishing floor
  October 9th
  While looking at valve I noticed that it only leaked while the shower was on.
  October 9th
  The amount of water leaking would not have flooded the basement that much during 15 minute showers. The valve would have had to be on for long periods of time since the shower valve didnt leak while the shower was off.The only way I could see the valve causing that much damage was if it were left on while the client was gone, not during short showers.

  End

  
  ***********************:

        With my 44 years of experience as a plumber; the amount of water that was in the basement could not have been in a short time. If you are in a shower and hear water running in the wall you certainly would not continue to use the shower.
  
      The news of the leaking galvanized water line was brought to my attention. After I had sent my previous letter which stated that I would be willing to repair the drywall and replace the section of flooring that had been wet. The mitigation company had already cleared the area where any damage was. The client then demanded that we get a storage contained delivered to her residence to store the stuff that was already out of the way of any work being performed. There is no reason to break the plastic barrier to move stuff to the driveway because it was already out of the way. Client then demanded that ALL of the floor be replaced not just the area that had gotten wet. I paid to have the flooring and drywall tested for asbestos and everything was fine except the vinyl tiling that was glued to the floor has asbestos in it. The client demanded that I file a claim with my insurance company and if I did not than she was going to file one with hers. I set up an appointment to have a very experienced flooring company (************** & *************************** ************) to go look at the situation and give his professional opinion because from what I had explained to him he said that there was no reason to remove any of those tiles, new flooring could be put right back over it like the new floor that they had just put down. At that point is when the client had stopped ALL communication with us. I personally called them several times as well as others on our staff and they would not respond to any of our attempts of communication.
  
     I have text communication from the mitigation company expressing to me that getting anything done at their house was VERY difficult! I will attach pictures of text communication from the mitigation company. Please note that the picture of the one tile that is removed couldve been glued back down to create a smooth surface to put the new floor back down over it.

      I feel that I have gone above and beyond to try and solve issues with nothing being accepted as a possible solution.

   

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

  owner of ***** Plumbing & Heating

  Customer response

  03/05/2024

  After reviewing the content *** posted to the complaint, it was untenable for us to passively wait for more resolution. Between the lack of truth in the notes and the absolutely abhorrent, sexist, unprofessional nature of the communication between *** and the mitigation company we had no choice but to provide comments which are in both files we have attached. While no financial restitution may come of this, the way the two parties communicated and the lack of honesty in the notes needs to be noted and acknowledged. We understand the note at the top regarding information pertinent to successful resolution and chose to submit this information. It is important that this information is known regarding these two companies.

  

  Business response

  03/15/2024

      To whom it may concern,
  
  I have carefully been reviewing my notes, statements received by the Polzins, and my technician that was on site and including my evaluation of things that have transpired. The more I have studied things the more I am uncertain of Rexs Plumbing & Heating being liable for the wet floor and the mold.
  
     My technician in a hand written note, states September 19th I repaired the leaking galvanized line and part of the valve leaving with the shower capped off to the shower. He states that the Client told me he had another shower downstairs.Thinking about this I asked myself two things, 1) how long has this galvanized water line been leaking before they ever even realized it was leaking? In my many years of experience I have found that most of the time a slow leak usually is not found for 2-3 weeks which would create a large amount of water damage and create a molding issue. 2) Mold isnt created overnight because of one leak from the day before. According to the *** and CDC mold can develop within ***** hours of water exposure. However, at this stage the mold spores are not easily visible to the naked eye. It usually takes around ***** days for the mold spores to colonize and become apparent. My point being is that with the mold present, the leak has been going long before we were on site.
  
    I was unaware of the leaking galvanized water line prior to my technician writing out his statement of the events that happened. At that time I was thinking that all this damage had occurred due to the shower head line leaking because of one shower being taken. With an existing leaking galvanized water line this completely changes my thought on how everything actually transpired.
  
    I have talked with the Mitigation Pros owner and he has informed me that when he opened the drywall there was mold approximately 3 feet high inside the walls. He told me that he will go through his files and pictures and locate the pictures of the mold and send them over to me.
  
     With that being said I truly believe that Rexs Plumbing & Heating is not liable for the damages to the extent that have incurred.
  
  
  ***********************
  Response to complaint #********

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