ComplaintsforCool Air Mechanical

• Initial Complaint

  06/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  They charged me thousands of dollars to replace a $60 part that was never broken that didnt work due to their faulty install. Also charged me for a complete duct cleaning and only cleaned half of it-

  

  Business response

  07/06/2024

  Hello **************,

  I'm very sorry to hear your frustration with your recent experience with our service technician. As our ************* Manager, I tend to keep an eye out for any grumblings of issues in need of attention. Your name is one that I had noticed around the time you had the condensate pump installed. From what I understood, you had been communicating with ****, who I made sure would update notes on your account regularly. This appears to be right around the time of the appointment you've taken issue with most. The most recent updates state that **** requested a Field Supervisor to go out to your home and perform a general QC check, and inspect the installation for any potential concerns. Records show ****** having completed this visit on 06/21/2024. His notes indicate that he made corrections to your drain line, replaced the condensation pump once more, and checked ductwork, to verify duct cleaning was performed successfully. From his invoice that day:

  "I had to change out the condensation pump. Also had to dig down to get drainage flowing properly. Showed the customer everything I did. He say everything is good the end."

  With the exception of this BBB complaint that slipped by me somehow (I receive upwards of 300 emails a day), I was told your issues had been thoroughly addressed and there were not further complaints or concerns after that visit. Please feel free to give me a call at **************. This is my work cell number, which can also receive text messages. I'd like to hear more about your experience and find out how the situation went from "customer is happy," after ****** stopped out, to the things I've read here. If I'm correct and your issues have been addressed, please disregard. If you still have items you're wanting to discuss, I'll await your response, or direct call to the number I've provided here. We appreciate and value our customers tremedously and never want anyone to have a bad experience. If there's anything I can do to turn your negative experience into a more positive one, please reach out. Thank you for your patience and hope you have a cool and comfortable summer if we do not hear back. Best Regards.

• Initial Complaint

  04/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased from Cool Air **************** two new Ac units by ****** on 10/31/2020, which are distributors for Lennox equipment. They installed both and had to be called several times for running hot starting with the first call 11/20/2020 just 20 day after installation, second call on 11/27/2020, 6/8/2022, 6/17/2022. Its now 2024 we called them for service cause once again the unit is not heating, which a technician came out and I was charged $79. I was advised that the compressor is completely gone. How does a compressor go out in 4 years when units are supposedly good for ***** years. The part is under warranty however they want to charge me $2000 for labor of putting the compressor in when this clearly was faulty equipment to begin with. First off I paid $13842.00 which you expect this to be working properly. I spoke to **** at the Monroe Ga location who offered me a discount of $200 which I declined as this is not my issue that I was given a FAULTY equipment. **** told me that this is Lennox equipment and they couldn't do anything about it. I told him that they sell Lennox equipment to customers and should stand by any discrepancies that a customer has, and its not fair for a person spending this kind of money to be penalized. He advised me its nothing they could do because I don't have a maintenance agreement. Who buys agreements when you purchased a NEW UNIT that should have lasted longer than 4 years. The maintenance agreement is only a way of getting more money out of you to spend as they profit from. This company is scamming innocent people out of they're hard earned money and selling c*** products. I see why they are listed so many times in the better business bureau of not following through, or making good with the customers. I even offered to go half $1000 that's with installation and refrigerant only to get this resolved and he said No. I feel like I shouldn't even be paying that to this company. They are not willing to compromise in good faith.

  

  Business response

  05/10/2024

  Hello,

  I am very sorry to hear of your frustration. For the sake of clarity, I wish to point out a few things, and then hopefully find a resolution to this matter once and for all. The bottom line is that HVAC systems are complex systems, comprised of smaller complex systems (parts). Any number of these individual parts (large or small) can fail, for any number of reasons. This is why warranties exist. The manufacturer does cover compressor replacement for a minimum of 10 years for this reason. It is a critical component, and one that takes a beating day in day out. It is not uncommon for a compressor to fail before reaching the 10 year ***** Fortunately, you fall well within that time period and will not be charged for the part.

  However, we are the party responsible for the cost of labor on any warranty repairs. This is tantamount to us owning the system in the event of failure. As with any machine, if not properly maintained, it will fail prematurely. EXAMPLE: You stop having maintenance performed on your system, and something as simple as your filters not being changed out often enough, you might allow an airflow restriction to develop that literally chokes the compressor to death. This would not fall under a warrantable repair, as the system was not properly maintained. This would technically be abuse, in this example. Therefore, IT IS CRITICAL, that these systems be properly maintained on a routine basis to ensure these sensitive components are not forced to operate under undue strain or abuse, shortening their lifespans. Having our technicians out there to not only ensure the appropriate actions are taken periodically, but to document and record the history of what or was not done for any/all future needs isn't only wise, it is required. We cannot take on the risk of "owning" the repair cost on thousands of systems, without having the assurance that they are being reasonably maintained. All of your paperwork and/or contracts will have this stated in one or more locations. When there is a gap in coverage, we are left with a giant "?" for however much time elapses since anything was last documented. Your system may have been touched by a 3rd party. It may be a "Frankenstein" for all we know. Your system may not have been having filters changed timely enough to prevent the premature death of your compressor. This is all conjecture... but the point is that Cool Air Mechanical, nor any other service provider that I am aware of, will honor the labor cost of repair on a system that they cannot be sure was properly maintained.

  I point all of this out to not only dispel any notions of us behaving unprofessionally or out-of-line with any of our competitors, but to hopefully educate on why maintenance is so important. It's not intended to be a "racket" where you just pay us for nothing in perpetuity. It's a critical service and even requirement for warranty purposes. Even the manufacturer can deny a parts claim if there is not sufficient evidence of proper maintenance. They could easily request the service history before they gratis a replacement part to make sure they too are not being saddled with the cost of replacing abused or neglected equipment. We are no different. I hope this explanation makes sense. I had a similar contingent when it came to my vehicle warranty, so this isn't even something exclusive to our industry. Bottom Line: Companies that step up to warranty the cost of repairs for any length of time will typically require some hedge against that increased risk.

  Having clarified the reason for the loss of Labor Warranty, and why maintenance is so critical in relation to those warrnaties, we still care about our customers. You mentioned offering to meet us half way, and pay the $1000. While we would likely take a loss at this price point, I am willing to entertain the offer proposed. I will have one of my dispatchers contact you to schedule the repairs at the $1000 price point. If you would like to discuss the matter further, please call me directly at ************. Thank you and have a wonderful day.

• Initial Complaint

  04/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This communication is on behalf of ***************************** (my Mother) at **********************************************. I am sending this message regarding a service call which was performed at my Mother's location in July 2023. A hard start unit was replaced by the technician and he charged her $1782.12 for this part and installation. My Mother is elderly and at the time was not aware of any other options and put her trust in Cool Air to perform the work at a fair price due her past positive experience with the company. She let me know what she paid and we looked into it and determined (through research and discussions with other technicians who work with these AC units) the amount was way out of line for the part and 10 mins install time. She reached out to Cool Air and could never connect with *****. I recently had a PMA appt at my service address and the technician sent a message to Cool Air for the service **** to reach out to me so I could review this charge with them. Never heard back. Sent a message though BBB on 2/4/24 and never heard back. We have also learned the technician who performed the work was let go.What we are asking is for Cool Air to review the $1782.12 charge for the work they did and make the appropriate price adjustment for the part and service performed.

  

  Business response

  04/16/2024

  Hello *****,

  
  We are very sorry to hear of your frustration. I had actually made several attempts to get in touch with your mother to discuss the matter. I was only able to reach her voicemail each time, so I do apologize for any apparent lack of communication, as it was not my intention. I did want to speak with her so I could clear up some common misconceptions that I regularly encounter throughout my workday, regarding prices. With everyone having instant access to the internet nowadays, it is not unusual to receive calls disputing our pricing. The internet can be wildly misleading and the stated parts and prices can not only vary tremendously in terms of cost, but can also be cheap knock-offs, unsafe, or from completely fraudulent sources. The part that we installed was not your common "hard start," as it may have been perceived to be. The ******* model that we installed is a far better unit and more advanced than your typical model, and with a proven track record of reliability and longevity. The cost is also significantly higher. While I do not often dive this deep into our pricing model, I can tell you with absolute certainty that OUR COST for the part that was installed was no less than $657. I know this because I personally called the supply house to have them quote us on the part. Typical markup (for any business) is usually somewhere between 50% - 100%. This would bring the price for the part alone to between $985.50, and $1,314.00, respectively. While it may seem excessive to some, those of us who've spent a lifetime in this industry know all too well that we live and die within those slim margins. Most companies don't make it.

  The other component in this equation is the labor and overhead costs that we have to account for. I'm not sure if your "10 minute install time" comment was based upon what you've thought to be our actual time spent working, or just a generalization from internet discussions and/or 3rd party HVAC workers, but this particular job came at a more significant cost than you may realize. The total paid time for the technician to complete the job came out to 3 Hours / 19 Minutes. Even if we rounded down a bit and call it 3.25 hours total, the labor cost alone is significant. When you take the total cost to run one technician, for one hour, it's over $300/hr. The overhead in this industry is incredible. When we perform work in the field, we are not technically quoting the cost of that specific work. We are actually quoting the cost of business, specific to that job. In order for us to remain in business and survive within those slim margins where so many others do not, we have to be comprehensive in our job costing, as is standard operating procedure for any reputable company of our size. The cost of labor itself is only part of the picture. The insurance, fleet of $70k+ trucks, maintenance and gas, operating software, tablets and phones, supporting staff in the office, and so many other factors that all contribute to our overall cost. So if you were to ask "***** in a Truck" what he thinks a fair price would be, it is going to be significantly less than our fair price. That does not make us predatory, or even wrong. It is simply the cost of business, and not all businesses are the same. After sitting down with our accounting team and service manager to get an exact number, we were able to pin down the actual cost to complete the job in dispute, at exactly $1,387.26. At the price that your mother received on her invoice was nothing crazy. We stood to make just shy of $395 in profit for the call, assuming there are no issues, call-backs, or obstacles that would prolong the repair, as is so often the case. While you may still find this amount to be excessive, those of us in the industry know that it is not. It is necessary. A company that only covers it's costs has an unsustainable business model and will likely be unavailable to provide you service in the near future.

  
  I know this message may fail to change your mind or feelings on the subject, but if nothing else, I hope it at least provides some degree of clarity for you as to why we charged what we did. I am happy to discuss this matter further if you would like to get in touch. Please give me call, or text me directly (preferred) at ************. We are always willing to work with our customers and try to find whatever common ground is necessary to ensure their satisfaction and maintain a happy relationship into the future. Thank you for your feedback and I will keep an eye out for your response. Have a great day.

  Customer response

  04/25/2024

   
  Complaint: 21529806

  Thank you for your response.

  Being in business as well, I appreciate you sharing the background of running your operations and providing information on pricing and markups of the parts you use.  While this information does help me understand more of the details of this job, there is one issue that is not correct.  The technician was not at the site for over 3 hours, it was less than an hour as we noticed how quick the job was done. Other HVAC operators we spoke to advised it would not take more than an hour to complete the job based on the unit's requirements.
  
  We can consider this case closed with marginal satisfaction, thank you again.

  

  Business response

  05/10/2024

  Hello ****************,

  Thank you for your understanding, as it was certainly not our intention to ***** anyone. And just to be clear, the 3+ hours of labor refers to the ***** paid time for the technician, which includes travel time. The total paid time for our company was 3 hours, 19 minutes, including travel time. I thank you again for being reasonable. However, despite your response stating that our explanation was (marginally) sufficient, our response appears to have been rejected. If there is anything further that I can do to resolve this matter for good, please let me know. Have a wonderful day.

• Initial Complaint

  02/06/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On 1/14/24 in the afternoon I experienced an outage of my downstairs ****** iComfort display. Upon restarting it, I got a message that my smart thermostat was "not connected to the wifi". Upon research, I flipped the breaker for my downstairs A/C and furnace and restarted my router. The display came back on. Then on 1/15/24 in the morning, the same happened again although the blower was still blowing air, just not warm air. I tried the same as the day before to no avail. I called Cool Air Mechanical that installed my upstairs and downstairs units 30 month ago. A technician came on 1/16. He went into the crawlspace first and then proclaimed that the condensation pump was faulty and needed to be replaced (it triggered a shut off). Since it was below freezing the prior day (as well as the outlook for the next days) I agreed to having the pump replaced. Then the technician went around the house and checked the blower units before he left.The next morning, I woke up to a cold downstairs with the blower working but the furnace not heating. So I called Cool Air again and a technician came the same day (1/17). Before he went into the crawl space, he went around the house to look at the outlet of the condensation pump which was frozen. What happened was that the outlet was frozen already the prior day and the condensation pump had shut off since it was full because it couldn't disperse the water. When the technician exchanged the pump, the pump filled up again over the next hours causing the shut off to happen overnight since the water was again not dispersing. The 1/17 technician in fact stated that it would be normal in these freezing conditions to check on the outlet first. He then cut the outlet line and diverted it to the sump pump which is in the encapsulated crawlspace.... continue in attachment

  

  Business response

  02/22/2024

  Hello,

  The facts of this case have been thoroughly reviewed by upper management and while we are very dissapointed to hear the frustration expressed by one of our valued customers, we maintain our current position that a full refund is simply not justified in this case. On 01/16/2024, one of our field supervisors was dispatched to the property to diagnose a "no heat" complaint. Upon inspection, ************** was able to confirm with absolute certainty that the condensate pump had failed, triggering the safety system to shut the unit down (to prevent water damage). Once the pump was replaced, the system was able to fire back up without issue and ************** was able to verify proper operation and successful draining of condensate water. We charge a total of $599 for that service call ($79 diagnostic fee + $520 for the new condensate pump, installed).

  That night, January 17th, between the hours of midnight and 7am, temperatures in the immediate area dropped down as low as 14 degrees for a sustained period of time, only rising back to above-freezing temperatures around 1 pm that afternoon, according to historical weather data for that time. During the 12+ hours with well-below freezing temperatures, some of the water exiting through the drain line became frozen, and ultimately restricted the drain entirely. When we were called back to investigate that day, we were able to confirm that the drain line had become restricted due to ice. We cleared the drain without issue and were once immediately able to confirm proper operation of the system and consistent draining of condensate water produced during normal operation. Another $79 diagnostic was billed to the customer, but the repair itself was completed at no charge.

  After receiving the initial complaint from the customer stating that we had misdiagnosed the cause of the issue and charged him for a new condensate pump in error, our management team reviewed the photos, videos, notes, and verbally discussed the matter with our field supervisor. It was abundantly clear at that time that we were dealing with two distinct issues that due to unusually low temperatures, occurred in quick succession, but were themselves completely unrelated. The condensate pump was bad and would need to be replaced no matter what. The drain line experienced a freeze the following day, regardless of the condensate pump's status. However, as a matter of customer care, we offered to refund BOTH $79 diagnostic fees ($158 total) to soften the financial blow brought about by these two separate issues. The customer declined the refund that was offered and stated that they would file a dispute with their card issuer. As of this moment, Cool Air Mechanical can confirm and provide substantial evidence to support the fact that not only did we diagnose, repair, and operate according to our core values of honesty and integrity, but that we also tried to work with the customer towards a fair resolution to their issue. We are still willing to issue the $158 refund, but the services rendered for replacement of the pump will not be refunded. Thank you.

  Customer response

  02/26/2024

   
  Complaint: 21256280
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  The answer from the business makes no sense and in part is actually an admission of my stated claim. When my furnace failed for the first time on 1/14 the furnace came back on after I flipped the breaker. This would not have been the case if the pump was defective. What actually happened was that the temperatures had been above freezing for a while and therefore had cleared for the pump to operate. Then it froze again which led the pump to emergency shutoff overnight into 1/15. When the technician came, he did not check on the outlet and whether it was frozen (which would have been the diligent course of action considering the temperatures. Instead, he assumed the pump was faulty, never tested the pump once it was emptied (and then could have worked) or afterwards. 
  If, as the business claims, there are photos and videos, I would like to see them as well as receive the original pump for inspection. Additionally, the business claimed it would have waived my two service calls at $79 a piece. But that is non-sensical because Cool Air did not charge me for a second service call knowing full well, that the follow up call was linked to the previous call (insinuating that the pump was in fact not defect at all but that the problem had been all along the *************).

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************************

  

  Business response

  02/26/2024

  Hello,

  We have once again discussed the matter with upper management and find the customer in this instance to be either mistaken, or intentionally deceptive. Due to the fact that the customer's Preventative Maintenance Agreement expired in 2022, they have their parts warranty in place through the manufacturer, only. Their labor warranty (through Cool Air Mechanical) was forfeited when they allowed their maintenance agreement to expire. They do still have an active 3-year "Comfort Shield" warranty, through the manufacturer. This covers PARTS AND LABOR by any certified Lennox dealer. We will refund the full $599 but terminate our relationship at that time. **************************** can contact another ****** dealer for future service. We will await their response and process the refund immediately upon their acknowledgment of these terms. Thank you.

  Customer response

  03/04/2024

   
  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

  09/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Cool Air was called because one of my HVAC units was not working properly. Cool Air said that the capacitor needed to be replaced. They replaced it and charged us $578.90. Within an hour of service, the until was not working properly. **************** came for their scheduled maintenance the next day. Cool Air came back to make further repairs and said we need to replace the fan motor and high pressure valve. ********** informed us these had broken because of the installation of the wrong capacitor.After calling Cool Air and confronting them about this, Cool Air agreed and *****************************, ************* Liason for Cool Air, emailed on September 1 stating they would send us a check for $1,534.86 for the necessary repairs due to their negligence. As of today, September 20, we have not received their check.

  

  Business response

  10/02/2023

  Hello,

  We apologize for any delays getting your reimbursement check to you. Due to a recent changes in our standard operating procedure regarding the processing of refund/reimbursement checks, there were a couple "snags" that slowed things down a bit. However, I am 100% positive that we were able to get the check sent out by 09/20/2023, as confirmed by our accounting staff and notated on your account with the following comment:

  "ck # **** for $1,534.86 issued 9/20/23 for reimbursement for recent repairs.

  9/20/2023 9:15 AM EDT"

   

  If you have not received your check or have any additional questions/concerns, please feel free to give us a call. Our ************* team will be happy to assist in any way possible. Thank you and have a great day.

• Initial Complaint

  08/23/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The salesman *************************** sold me a whole house air conditioner as a representative from Cool Air heating and cooling on 5/19/23 for $19,933. This unit has inconsistently cooled my home since 8/14/23. The hvac technician has come to my home four times, 8/14/23; 8/18/23; 8/21/23 and scheduled 8/24/23. This company has ruined my ceiling in the bathroom and laundry room, and the a/c have not cooled my house the entire month of August. I want this system operating properly or removed and my money refunded.

  

  Business response

  09/12/2023

  Hello ****************,

  I'm very sorry to hear you've had such an unpleasant experience thus far. After reviewing the records on your account, it's clear that there were some challenges that we faced in order to get your system performing optimally, including the often difficult fine tuning of "zoned" systems. Zoned systems are notoriously difficulty to dial in and often require multiple attempts to get it right, both from a comfort perspective, as well as a functional perspective, as improper airflow can cause even the best pieces of equipment to fail. However, there are clearly self-inflicted wounds here that fall well below our standard of quality, and we at Cool Air Mechanical acknowledge that we too can fail to get it right from time to time. With that said, our records indicate that despite the challenges we had with your installation, we have at least made sure to come back as many times as it required to get the situation resolved. Our most recent invoice dated 8/24/23, indicates that your system is performing optimally with no further issues reported, and our remediation company states that they have you scheduled to make all necessary repairs related to the water damage on 9/17/23. While we cannot undo the past, we can make a concerted effort moving forward to earn back any confidence in Cool Air that *** have eroded throughout this process. I will be reaching out to you once the repairs to your home have been completed to confirm that you're satisfied with the status quo on all fronts. I would also like to use that opportunity to discuss some additional measures that we *** be able to take on the back end to further right any wrongs on our behalf. Feel free to contact me directly in the meantime at ************ if you have anything further that you would like to have addressed or reviewed by management. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  07/23/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I recently had my HVAC replaced by *******. They are a business partner of ******* which is how I found out about them. With the exception of a small scratch on my flooring, I had no issues with the installment. The A/C unit has worked great and I am happy with that; however, their sales team has been less than satisfactory.When I was presented with the various pricing options, I selected the unit with the best SEER rating and the one that offered the most discounts, which included one rebate for being a Citi/****** card member plus an additional rebate for being an executive member. When I discussed these two rebates with the salesperson, all that was mentioned is that the rebates are provided at year-end. He just said to write out a check for the amount owed, and he captured my ****** member number from the card. When I asked about having to use my Citi card to get these rebates I was told just writing a check would be fine. Well two days later I get the official contract that listed all the rebate amounts so I signed it and the install occurred that week. What I didnt see in tiny font is that the rebate qualifies if a Citi ****** card is used in the purchase. Due to the salespersons negligence to mention this, Im out the rebate amount which comes to $584 ($292 for being a ****** member and $292 for being an executive member). When I reached out again post install to the original rep by text, he blew me off. *** talked to two reps at the ****** warehouse in person and another by phone. Each time Ive been assured that someone would be contacting me. Of course nobody has. I want to explain to them that their training of salespeople is terrible and incompetence on their end cost me nearly $600. Seems to me this sales team doesnt take concerns seriously.

  

  Business response

  08/25/2023

  Hello,

  Our Sales Manager spoke to the member regarding the 2% **** Reward, which amounted to a total of $292, that they did not receive. However, this reward/rebate is only issued when the member makes the purchase via qualifying credit card. The member paid with by an alternative method, and therefore did not receive the $292. After a cordial discussion with our Sales Manager, they agreed to split the difference and Cool Air Mechanical issued a check to the member for 50% of the $292 in question, for a total of $146. This check was signed by our General Manager and mailed directly to the member. All parties were satisfied with the agreement and we are considering the matter resolved. Thank you.

  Customer response

  08/29/2023

   
  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

  01/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Found these guys through ********* membership and only because I trust ******* The unit worked for a yr and now its not working and has been causing issues with my heat. Since then I've called cool air about this issue. They've sent 2 of their guts out and charged me 79 per trip. Nothing has been done to fix the issue and I have a warranty. I have asked several times for a member from their management team call and still have not heard from anyone.. this is one of the coldest ******* we've had and it's been freezing in my home all winter. They only want to steal your money. The last guy they sent should have figured out the ac unit outside isn't working. I had to pay another av guy to tell show me what's going on..I will also be calling ****** about the horrible experiences I've had. I want them to come figure out why the outside unit isn't working as it should. It has a warranty and why did they charge me. Also the customer service representatives is horrible as well. They wouldn't allow me to speak and lack active listening skills

  

  Business response

  03/23/2023

  The day this complaint was submitted to the BBB we actually spoke later that day about the situation. The issue was unrelated to the equipment that we installed which was strictly an A/C & Coil. The heating issue was directly related to the performance of their furnace which Cool Air Mechanical did not install, and that was manufactured in ****. Our last conversation was cordial and after clarifying the confusion about the outdoor unit not coming on, and how it's actually not supposed to be on during the winter, ************ was very understanding. I am copying notes from our involvement in the matter in the days that followed this initial complaint.

  [ 2023-01-11 18:10:20 ] [ Cool Air Mechanical - ********************* ] [ACTIONED]
  I spoke with the member and they are happy with the current game plan. We are sending a manager out to get a concrete diagnosis on the issue with their furnace. The member had also received some erroneous information from a family member in the **** industry regarding the issue, which led to the customer escalating. I was able to dispel the false information which left the member relieved. I will update the escalation once we have completed the manager visit.

  [ 2023-01-18 10:00:54 ] [ Cool Air Mechanical - ********************* ] [ACTIONED]
  We had a manager go out to look into the issues with the member's furnace (not installed by Cool Air), and they confirmed that the unit is rusted out and the burners are in bad shape. We are sending a comfort advisor out to quote replacement options. Member is satisfied with the current progress.

   

• Initial Complaint

  12/26/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have been a customer since 2018 and would highly recommend you take your money elsewhere. We went with this company for our custom built home with three units, and we have had issues from the start.I will start with the latest with our upstairs Amana system that has been an issue since they installed. The current issue is that the heat (gas) just stopped working on a Friday night. From a company that advertises "24/7, 365" service (which is a blatant lie), we have not been able to get an emergency appointment with two tries - and we have spend well over $35k with them with the three units plus additional accessories and have always carried their maintenance contracts. Speaking of, we JUST had one of those 3-4 weeks ago and were told everything was just FINE with this unit. That was of course after we tried to schedule it earlier in the fall, only to be told we couldn't get an appointment for months! So now, we're getting to sleep in 50 degree bedrooms due to a malfunctioning $10,000 Amana unit that is only 3.5 years old.UPDATE on the above: Three days after initially calling this in and have heard from ZERO people at Cool Air - so much for that 24/7 365 service they falsely advertise! Turns out all three units suffered from the same issue - improperly installed condensation lines. The attic unit is a HE gas furnace which produces a lot of condensation during heating, yet they ran a condensation line, with no P trap, through around 50' of unconditioned space, including the attic, down an exterior wall, and outside where it drips - or freezes in this case thanks to their improper and negligent install - onto my foundation. The two units downstairs were also improperly installed. First, we found them with gallons of water in their drip pans, yet the emergency cutoffs that detect water did not work on either unit! They had routed the condensation line from the sump pump (given they're in the basement) around 50' to the outside and just laid it on the ground - again right at my foundation, when the could and should have just routed it about 10' away from the units to the drain/sump pump that the hybrid water heater and pressure relief valve drain to. To save those units (and my basement from flooding), I cut the condensation line and routed it to that drain (and vacuumed up the gallons of water in the two drip pans).As I mentioned, the above is only their latest episode of "companies to avoid at all costs". We should have known when this started out bad. They "custom designed" the system for the house to be the best. Well, within a few months of being in the house, we notice the upstairs unit was struggling to keep to a set A/C temp of around 70 degrees. I determined they had undersized the unit for the amount of sq ft, plus the unit being in the attic, and they had to come out multiple times to tinker with it before they finally admitted to their mistake and replaced it.They have also been called out (and mentioned during maintenance calls) that the rooms upstairs are off in temp by 3-6 degrees. They have attempted to address is by partially or fully closing vents and also adding dampers - not something you should have to be doing to a new system that THEY "custom designed". The best part of that problem is that they tried to charge me for adding the damper, which I had to go through management to get waived. Why should a customer, whose $35k system YOU designed, have to pay for what is obviously a major system design issue?Lastly, there have been a number of issues that we have had to address ourselves, which thankfully we didn't have to wait days, weeks, or months for them to come out. The upstairs unit (sensing a theme here?) went out multiple times when it was in A/C mode during the summer, and we had to solve it by going and cutting off and rebooting the whole HVAC system.So, in summary, stay far away from Cool Air Mechanical, even if they make you *think* you have priority service due to being their customer from the start (having them install it), plus being on their maintenance plan. It is all a bunch of lies and bad business practices to get as much money out of you as they can.

• Initial Complaint

  11/30/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I bought my home in May of 2018. The home was replaced with a new Air/heating unit in November 2017. The unit came with a 10 year warranty. It was installed by Cool Air Mechanical with a Lenox unit. I was having problems with the unit and finally called Cool Air to come out on September 27, 2022. My daughter was there and let the Cool Air mechanic in my home. They looked at unit and then did repairs without talking with her. Told her there was a service fee of $75 and asked for her credit card. A receipt was emailed and an incredible bill of $995.00 dollars charged. The receipt was shown as being charged $165.00 for the replacement part to fix Air unit and a gas charge for coming over then a $730.00 charge for coolant. I had never been charged for coolant before and now this I was shocked.. Unfortunately, this did not fix unit and Cool Air had to come back out because my unit was still not cooling, on November 21,2022. The Mechanic told me that there was something further wrong and the last mechanic did not fix the problem. He said my unit was still under warranty but he could not fix it at this time but would talk to his company about what he should do. He said he was not going to charge me for the coolant this time, but he would get back to me. Now Cool Air has called and said I just missed the warranty that it expired on November 11,2022 and it was going to cost me another $2,000 to fix the problem. The problem had existed on September ************************************************** diagnosing the problem. The *************************** was rude and tried to disguise their error. No one else has worked on my air besides Cool Air and with a brand new unit being installed I have had a second opinion on what is wrong.

  

  Business response

  04/13/2023

  When we first arrived at the customer's home, our technician found the system low on refrigerant. Upon inspection, he found "an obvious leak" at the ******** valve core (not uncommon). Due to the fact that the customer is not the original homeowner, the manufacturer's warranty does not extend to the full ten years, and defaults to the standard warranty of five years, per the manufacturer. We then had to charge accordingly for the repairs. Even under warranty, refrigerant would not have been a warrantable item. It is considered a "perishable." Once the obvious source of the leak was repaired and refrigerant added back to the system, the system resumed normal operation and we considered the matter resolved. However, it is not uncommon with complex HVAC systems, to have more than one problem at any given moment affecting system performance. All we can do as a service provider is monitor the symptoms as they are reported and search for an obvious catalyst. Unfortunately, approximately two months later the problem resurfaced and we were again tasked with observing the symptoms and diagnosing the source of the issue. At no charge (or under the original charges) our technician performed another leak search as a courtesy, this time finding a separate refrigerant leak at the reversing valve, and the system low on refrigerant once again. After the free leak search and diagnosis of a separate leak in the refrigeration circuit, we recharged the system with refrigerant once more, at no charge. After the second diagnosis was made, and due to the out-of-warranty status of the system, the technician reached out to the office for a price on repair of the newly diagnosed issue. $693 to replace the reversing valve was quoted and scheduled. The customer was not happy with the proposed charges and canceled the appointment we had booked in the system to get her back up and running. She had requested a call from management to discuss. Multiple calls were made to the number we had on file in an attempt to discuss the matter, but no answer. Messages were left, to which we never received a response. We are happy to discuss the matter further with the customer but they do not seem interested in communicating at this point. If this is not the case, a direct call to our ************* Manager at ************** is welcomed, as we have a long track record of outstanding customer service and hope to leave every customer happy.

  Customer response

  04/15/2023

   
  Complaint: 18482918
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I had another company come and inspect my air vac unit.  Upon inspection they found the unit was overfilled with coolant and that there was nothing wrong with unit but only needed to be reset!  So they charged me $1,000.00 plus were going to charge me another $2,000 to continue to fix this issue.  Horrible business practice and kept wanting to fix a unit that wasnt broken
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

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