ComplaintsforBrown Heating & Cooling

• Initial Complaint

  02/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  This company installed my mini split system 7 years ago. The unit started not blowing heat recently. Their tech came out and told me that my coil inside was dirty and it was possibly causing the problem. He stated that he didnt have the equipment to clean the coil and it would cost 800 dollars or more to remove the gas and take the indoor unit apart and take it outside. He did check the pressure on one side and claimed it looked ok. I cleaned the coil myself for under 30 for the equipment. After cleaning the coil the unit still was not putting out enough heat. I called the office frustrated with the high price to clean the coil and after a couple calls they said I was rude and they would not work on my unit anymore. I called a couple other companys and they told me that my unit more than likely was low on charge. They laughed when I told them that the tech was removing the coil to clean it. This unit has a 10 year warranty on parts only and I call a half dozen companies in my area and none of them can do warranty work on Dykem mini split systems. Now I may have to pay 3000 dollars to have this 18k unit replaced.

  

  Business response

  03/11/2024

  Good Morning, 

  
  

  We received a letter in the mail today for a complaint that was filed against us, I sure apologize for not responding, we would appreciate it it could be reopened to respond. It looks like the paper letter was dated the 3rd but just arrived today, the 11th. 

  
  

  The email unfortunately was missed as it went to our spam folder.

  
  

  This is an extremely hostile customer, who has cussed out every single one of our employees, and was told that we will not be servicing him in the future due to his choice in actions; given this hostile environment and his friendship with a former disgruntled employee we would very much appreciate the opportunity to respond to this and resolve it since we have not done anything wrong with him. 

  
  

  Complaint number: 21341556

  
  

  Thank you so much in advance

  
  

  Please feel free to reach out to my assistant ********* directly: *************************************************** 

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

  

  Business response

  03/11/2024

  There are multiple items we would like to address on this customer:
  per owners manual provided at install, the manufacturer recommends annual service on equipment to keep all moving parts in optimum operational status. 
  Second, the quote provided was to clean the evaporator coil, the blower assembly, and any other parts needed as this is supposed to be maintained annually and hasn't had a service since its install 7 years ago; Additionally it included topping off any needed freon. The customer was informed that this would be an estimate due to the unknown volume needed on freon. 
  The customer has been hostile and aggressive towards both ************** and our office staff, utilizing  profanity and was told by our office staff that we will not tolerate that and due to his choice to continue we will not be servicing his residence any further. In discussion with our office staff the customer stated he has an hvac degree and watched a ******* on how the job needed to be done
  He has a Daikin Minisplit system, which does have a 10 year manufacturers warranty; I would like to add that we provide warranty services for multiple manufacturers and units that we did not install as do several other providers in our area. 
  
  We do not feel that a refund should be issued, because services were rendered as agreed, he was informed prior to our visit that our service calls are $90 minimum which includes diagnostics and up to one hour of labor.

  However, we will go ahead and send the claimant a refund in full of $90, certified mail to show proof of sending, customer will not eligible for future services. 

  Customer response

  03/12/2024

  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

  02/23/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  So I hired this company to come out and fix my furnace. They came out multiple times (four to five times) supposedly tightening the leaky gas pipes. I still don't have heat. They didn't fix the pipes; they are still leaking. The gage was left on and it shows zero. I paid them $550.00 on 12/15. They told me that they are not coming back, that they're done.

  

  Business response

  03/10/2022

  I am writing in reference to a letter I received from your office regarding a customer by the name of ******* *****. 

  
  

  The complaint reads as follows from you:

  "So I hired this company to come out and fix my furnace. They came out multiple times (four to five times) supposedly tightening the leaky gas pipes. I still dont have heat. They didn't fix the pipes; they are still leaking. The gage was left on and it shows zero. I paid them $550.00 on 12/15. They told me they are not coming back. that they are done. "

  
  

  I would like to first give you the background of the service call before diving into our attempt at resolution. The customer called stating she had moved into a home with a gas furnace, that the gas company required someone to come and check the lines before they would restart service to ensure its safety. Our company explained to her at that time that often times when gas piping is left open to the elements it becomes unsafe, and not usable; Give at the time it was thought it may have been a number of years since the pipes had last had gas thru them, I personally went and explained this to her. I was upfront with her in telling her that if it was as simple as being able to check the lines, check the pressure, do an initial service on the furnace and fire it up after the gas company connected with NO materials, troubleshooting etc, our standard fee would be $150. I was very clear that the lines and the furnace both needed to be replaced, and that I fully expected problems due to the age and condition of both. She explained that she was on a fixed income and had been off work since September, and asked us to do what we could. I explained to her that we would test and look for leaks and attempt to repair them, but that we wouldnt know until they were checked what all was wrong, and what all could / needed to be fixed, at which point even before fully inspecting or checking I again warned her that these were likely not good lines and they needed to be replaced. 

  
  

  I scheduled one of my employees to go and inspect the lines, and as I suspected there was problem after problem. The customer begged us to keep trying to repair them because she would not be able to afford a new furnace or piping. She was again reminded that this would be billed to her, time and materials. She agreed and we continued to attempt to fix the problem, despite our best attempts to tell her she needed new pipes run and a new furnace. While my employee was there she belittled him, and offered her opinions on every step on the process. 

  
  

  After many attempts, we deemed the pipes not fixable, the furnace its self, there is no way to check without the gas, though I suspect would be the same. We wrote up her bill and went over the break down, at $694. She begged me to take $550 because she couldn't afford more then that. I felt bad for the situation, and accepted her $550 as paid in full, and offered some options we had to be able to get new lines put in, and a new furnace so she could safely heat her home, and be more efficient since she was using a plug in heater at the time. I also told her that if she did decide to get a new unit put in that I would work with her to get it done as close to cost as possible and to take off what she had already paid. 

  
  

  To address her comment stating that we told her we were done and not coming back, we told her that as we had suspected before she begged us to make an attempt, that the pipes were not repairable. Therefore we were not going to continue to try to fix something beyond repair, but that we would be more then happy to come back and come up with a solution for a new or even a used system, but at the very least all new piping. 

  
  

  Hadn't herd anything from her since, until receiving this letter from the BBB. 

  
  

  Yesterday I had my assistant ********* ****** reach out to her, at which point the customer was hostile claiming we stole her money. ********* talked with her at length about her history, moving in, her finances etc. At the end of the conversation, ********* gave her resources for a community action program that may be able to assist her in getting a new system, and lines installed from grants since she is currently attempting to get on disability. ********* also again reminded her that if she did want us to come and take all the damaged pipe out and run all new lines it would be $1400, but that we would be willing to take off what she had already paid. The customer appeared grateful for the information shared on that program as well as a few others that ********* shared with her on resources to help get her home better set up. However, I will comment that when ********* brought up to the customer that we received a BBB complaint, she just laughed and said you bet, because I want my money back, I dont have any money. 

  
  

  I hope Ms.***** is able to get approved for one of the programs in our area and get the services she needs, and if our company can be of any help with that we would love to have a part in it. 

  
  

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

*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. ↩