ComplaintsforBarry Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  04/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  I recently worked with Barry Heating and Air on two occasions. On the first appointment, they diagnosed a leak in the heating system coolant, refilled the coolant, and said they would return for a follow-up to fix the leak under warranty as they were the original unit installers. They charged ~$300 for this service appointment, coolant fill, and a thermostat replacement. After this, it took many phone calls and over a month to get them to return and repair the leak. Over this time, all of the coolant leaked out again. So, after the repair they charged me ~$700 for the coolant refill. It does not seem fair to me to charge for coolant loaded into a unit known to be leaking, especially when the repair is delayed for so long. When I contacted the company to bring up this issue, they said that they "had to charge for coolant" even when I mentioned that it did not seem fair to me, so I am filing this complaint. I have paid the bill already, to prove I am acting in good faith. They should have not charged a leaking unit or they should have treated this as an urgent repair before the coolant leaked out again. I feel that I should at least be compensated for the coolant charged into the leaking unit, however much of the initial ~$300 that was.

  Business response

  05/13/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2022/04/19) */ The first time we went out on 02/09/2022 because he called in due to having no heat and seen that the tstat was messed up and our tech topped of the unit with 2 pounds of 410A freon. We returned to the customers home on 03/23/2022 due to the unit not working and the tech found a leak on the expansion valve line, he had to solder the hole in the line and added 9 founds of 410A that had leaked out due to the hole in the line. We informed the customer that parts was under warranty but the freon is not considered a part so it was not under warranty so the freon was not covered. He was responsible for the froen and labor. We told him multiple times that the freon was not covered under warranty, we hate that he was upset with us and we strongly apologize for that! Consumer Response /* (3000, 9, 2022/04/19) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) This response from the business does not acknowledge the whole story, and also misunderstands the reason for my complaint. First, this was not two independent calls, but an ongoing repair. The technician visited on 2/9 to repair the unit which was suspected to be leaking. It was suspected to be leaking because it was found empty 3-4 years ago and charged with Freon by the company when no leak could be found. After the technician repaired the thermostat, which was a separate issue, we both acknowledged that we needed to fully diagnose and fix the leak. The company then took five to six weeks (until 3/23) to return, fix the leak, and recharge the unit. Second, I have no objections to paying for freon when it is necessary and charged into a sealed unit. I understand that it is not covered under warranty - that is not the issue. The issue is having to pay for Freon when it is charged into a unit which is known or suspected to be leaking. I might as well pay for Freon which is sprayed into the air. I believe the company should have refused to charge Freon into a leaking unit, fixed the unit first (quicker than five weeks), then charged the unit with the 9 pounds of Freon. The would have been better both for environmental reasons and so I did not have to pay for wasted Freon. I believe I should be reimbursed for two pounds of Freon, not because of warranty but because it was a mistake and bad practice on the part of the company to charge a leaking unit.

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