ComplaintsforAble Air, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  08/31/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I've used Able Air since 2018, who performed AC maintenance every 6 mos so I'd have peace of mind & have a well-functioning/well maintained unit in FL (so I thought). On 8/4/23 (afternoon) my AC started to not hold its temp setting ( Able replaced thermostat on 1/10/22) (the temp kept rising on thermostat 3° above setting). I called a service that works late--my condenser needed freon. This service advised my handler was rusted, as was the drip pan (the handler is in the garage attic-the AC unit was installed by Able in 2016), so I climbed up the ladder & looked for myself; that pan hasn't been cleaned out in years, as it has 1/4 inch crud in it (I have pics), the handler had water droplets all over the bottom & was continuously dripping water into the rusted pan (a Clognever unit I've leaned would have prevented this). Able was once a reliable company, but during the last 1 1/2 yrs, Able's techs appeared to not know what they're doing (take advantage of older folks) or just didn't care. I started going through my receipts (I have them all). The tech who was here 15 minutes on 3/13/23 wrote on work order he'd "vacuumed" the drain line, etc. I followed this guy around, and he didn't vacuum anything. I called Able the following week and asked why they'd never informed me of handler/pan rust issue on this 7 yr old unit, and to get someone out to address this. Able sent some neophyte who didn't know anymore than I, he didn't open the handler or run a diagnostics on it, but advised I needed a new $4500 handler, that it wasn't under warranty (I thought it was warrantied for 10 yrs), that due to rust I shouldn't spend $1200 to replace a warrantied coil (the labor wasnt under warranty), that why do that because I needed a handler anyway-Able sent me an estimate. I fixed the dripping myself by adding a fan on a timer, I also got a 2nd opinion-I don't need any of these replaced. The new company did a thorough inspection-opened the handler, etc. Able has failed.

  Business response

  10/23/2023

  The statement written below is also on the attachment. 

   

  The *******’s have a home with a unit that the builder ****** ***** located in the garage, but in a loft/cubby hole in the ceiling of the garage.
  This location is not a great location for an air handler as it is above the vehicles and every time the owners come home with a wet car the moisture rises and condensates on the air handler, until it drips off the bottom; as you can see in the pictures. The insulation inside the unit over the years can become saturated and the insulation performance of it goes to zero, and the unit condensates just from the humidity in the air.
  The rust you see in the picture of the pan with the plastic legs holding the unit in the air allowing air to freely move around it is typical of this installation. The water droplets you see on the bottom of the air handler are not from a clogged drain line but from being in an extremely high humidity location.
  The unit is in good shape for its age and location. The drain pan under the unit with the plastic cones shows an even rust pattern which is normal and possess no concern to the operation of the system and there is no evidence of rust through.
  Adding a continuous operating fan to blow on the unit can help reduce and sometimes eliminate the sweating. However, we could not do that because the fan could catch the roof on fire in that location. There is no UL rated fan system for this application and as a licensed contractor we could not do anything like this.
  We have performed maintenance on this unit through three homeowners since 2016. We replaced one thermostat in January of 2022. We found the existing one was having issues and we changed it out at no charge. Note the unit has 10 year parts to the first owner and the thermostat has only five to the first owner. Due to the fact that all owners had maintenance with us we changed it out at no charge. Following that maintenance six months later at another maintenance we added 2lbs of refrigerant; per the reading we took.
  Note this was the 8th maintenance for the current customer following two maintenances for the previous owners. During every maintenance some refrigerant can be lost and 2-lbs over 10 maintenances over a six year period did not seem out of line. Until we received the complaint filed with The Better Business Bureau we were unaware of a service call run by some other company.
  Now with the fact that a 2nd company added refrigerant to a system we just added some too, that indicates that there is most likely a leak.
  We likely gave the quote for a new air handler as the parts and labor for a coil would be $3000 or more since she was out of warranty and a new air handler would be $4525. To get 10 years parts and a new air handler would be $1525 more. A new air handler with 10 year parts is a better option than replacing the coil and with this fan system she put in place could possibly stop the unit new from condensation since the air handlers have had further upgrades to help in this way.
  At the request of the current owner an estimate to replace the air handler was given. Note the customer did not pay the last service call to confirm the rust in the pan. The emergency drain pan that possess no issue.
  We made two calls to collect payment for out last call. We didn’t get paid and we did not know she was unhappy. The estimate for the new air handler was not for the rust, but for the leaky coil.
  We did not receive a call for a coil repair. As she concluded she installed a fan that stopped the condensation. Was there a second company that added refrigerant? We don’t know. Maybe she just wanted the sweating to stop we gave her an estimate based on her saying it had a leaky coil diagnosed by a second company. As she is the third owner, the coil would not be under warranty. The replacement cost would be about $3,000.00. While a new unit would be $4,525.00 and would have 10 year parts and 5 year labor on a new air handler vs a 1 year warranty only on the coil.  

   

  Sincerely, 

  Adam D******** 

  Able Air, Inc.

  Service Manager

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