ComplaintsforBrian's Heating & Air Conditioning

• Initial Complaint

  04/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The furnace had quit working. It was making noises and had a mechanical smell. I called the emergency number and no one responded. An hour later the furnace caught fire. It is my belief that if someone had come out, the fire would not have happened. Repairs were needed but it's possible that I would not have needed to replace the entire furnace (which then led to the replacement of A/C, due to the size of the new unit).An emergency number was supplied on website, an answering service answered and was given the details. No tech returned my call or came out til several hours later.

  

  Business response

  07/02/2023

  Hello, thank you for your patience as I try to explain the situation as best as I can.

  
  

  The  clients main complaint is that we did not get to her unit on time and caused it to catch on fire. First, we would like to clarify that the clients circuit board was already burning when she called, and the entire unit was on fire in about an hour. Although we strive to get to each client as soon possible, there is nothing that we could have done to salvage her circuit board. We do offer emergency service but there is no guarantee in which the amount of time we will be there. We were able to rearrange the schedule to accommodate her all before the office had even opened. We consider to be that to be emergency service. 

  
  

  
  

  Please see the attached timeline of the events below -

  
  

  
  

  
  

  1/24 4:38 AM-  Client placed original call to answering service. In which ****** indicated that there was a weird smell coming from her furnace. She also indicated that the furnace was not working at this time. The weird smell coming from the furnace was (what we later found) the circuitboard burned. The answering service did let her know that the office would be calling back once it was open.

  
  

  1/24 5:54am- Client called back-the furnace caught on fire. Called to see if the furnace could be repaired or replaced. At this point, she mentions that she would call someone else.

  
  

  1/24 - 7:29 - client called to cancel the request.

  
  

  1/24 - 7:29 - Simultaneously we called her to schedule an appointment. We were originally only able to but her in on 1/25 and were able to get her on the schedule for the first call.

  
  

  1/24 -9:00 technician arrived on site.

  
  

  Please let me know if there is any additional information needed from us.

  
  

  Thank you,

  --
  

  
  

  ********************************* | Office Manager

  New Address:

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

  Office: ************** | BriansHeating.com 

  Customer response

  07/08/2023

   
  Complaint: 19950157
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I told answering service there was a mechanical smell, not burning. I checked the furnace every ten minutes. There was no burning smell  until the fire lit. The answering service did not say someone would call when office opened (to my recollection, but I'm sure they have it recorded). They said they'd get the message to someone to call back. It took several hours for them to call back (and she called from home and seemed quite put out that I was bothering them before office hours) This is not 24/7 emergency service. If someone had come out, they could have disabled all the power and prevented the fire. I did not know the circuit board was burning. There was no burning smell.

  They did come out quickly after the fact, provided room heaters, and did work the next day, which I appreciate.

  But I still believe this could have been prevented

  Do not advertise 24/7 emergency service if it just means you will try to get out first thing after the office opens- that is not 24/7
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

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