ComplaintsforA1 Air Duct

• Initial Complaint

  08/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  We called A1 Air Duct to have our dryer vent cleaned out. The technician ripped us off! Their ad claimed a $99 charge and the technician ended up charging me $300 for 45 minutes of work because he said it was a longer vent than standard. But the BIG issue is my dryer wasn't working properly just days later (he did the service on July 6, 2022) and I called another company and on August 4 they came out and said we had no air venting from the dryer to the outside. He then pulled out about 10 FEET of lint the tech did not clear out! I have photos to prove this. The tech said this was about 5 years worth of lint, and we saw very little lint from the A1 tech. We have photos of what he removed and have kept the lint for evidence if needed. I want my money returned. I am a senior on a fixed income and the tech took advantage of my wife being home alone at the time, who is also a senior. Based on other reviews I have seen, this is a common practice. I'd like these people investigated for unfair and deceptive business practices.

• Initial Complaint

  07/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  On Thursday July 21, 2022 I called A1 air duct cleaning because I found a coupon on their website that says $99 for dryer duct cleaning. When speaking with them they said that the $99 coupon was only for vents going out of the side of the house and mine goes through. I said that is not what your website says, he again assured me that if my vent goes to the top of the roof then it's going to be $149. I scheduled the cleaning for Sunday at 3. The technician arrived and asked me how long it's been since the vent was cleaned. I told him about 5 years he said it was going to be $399 because it needed a deep clean. I said that's not what the what the guy told me on the phone. The technician said yes he gets that a lot that they do not disclose the prices and he has to do it. So this happens all the time. I asked him to just do the $150 cleaning only he told me he couldn't because it was not going to clean it. I asked for his supervisor, he said that he really doesn't have a supervisor and showed me his phone where he just gets texts of where to go. He then said he reports to *******. I called the number back that I had called on Thursday and asked to speak with the supervisor. He said he wasn't a supervisor but how could he help. I explained the problem he said he talked to me that day and scheduled my appointment. He said that he told me it was starting at $149. I argued with him to the point of telling me he would have the supervisor call. Ten minutes later ******* called. ******* was very rude, talked over me, and said she listened to the recording. She said she was going to email the recording. I have not received it. I told her that there needs to be specifications on the coupon or scheduling cleanings. She kept talking over me and hung up when I tried to explain more. Very poor customer service!

• Initial Complaint

  07/15/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  My original complaint was filed under my husbands name by me, in concern for my safety from the a1 air duct. I hate to confuse the company due to them being offended by my husbands originally complaint which he did not write. I am writing you all today as "we" in reference to me ****** ******** with the approval of my message by my husband. We were quoted online price of $39 for duct cleaning. Then in person it went to $89 per duct and $250 return vent verbally given a price between 1200-1400. We then discovered after paying, I discussed concerns with employee about cleaning not being done he lied to my face said they were. This company makes it very hard to approve work when everything is covered and possibly sealed, so you trust them to do the job and right thing but this company did not. We ended up paying 2400+ We then walked into my back room and paid for vents were never placed. I have discussed these issues with Miranda stating she is management. When questioned about chemicals used we do not get any answers. I have requested that SDS was sent due to it not being on their website. We have now grown to fear the chemicals which may or may not have been used within our home. I have requested management to come to home to follow up and finish work paid for - which they stated via phone they would not do. We have asked for refunds. Today upon reviewing my receipt shows different amount in comparison to what I was charged (over agreed to charge). Each day they force me to complain I find more lies and fraud. The crew certified or not did clean a large portion of mold from our home so we do ask for only partial refund which we fill is fair considering the time, and energy spent fighting with a1 air duct. Attached are emails with detailed complaints and requests. We also have videos of some of the unfinished work. As well as footage from security cameras of the items brought into our home. attached files include requested refund, re-requested on **********.

• Initial Complaint

  04/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On January 20, a technician came to my house to clean my dryer ducts. The online price was quoted as $99. When he arrived he said it it would be $770 as my vent was 22 feet from my dryer at $35 per foot. The price seemed extremely high and I questioned it but he said some charge less per foot some more. I felt is he could open up my vent to push out air like my neighbors then I was preventing a potential fire danger. He worked on it for 45 minutes and then said he could not open my vent as he felt there was a separation of the vent within the walls and I would need someone to open the wall. I said do I still owe $770 and he said yes. I was in disbelief but didn't know how to handle the situation so I reluctantly paid and immediately called another service when he departed. As a single woman living alone I don't want to confront anyone. The other company Mr. Duct said the most that service should have cost was $175 - doesn't matter how many feet. I called the company to register a complaint and was given customer service. She took my complaint said she would investigate and never called me back. I called three more times and was hung up on. I then texted three times and text never returned. I protested with my credit card company - and they failed to help and said I should have protested over lack of delivering the service I expected not over the price of the service. I would take them to small claims court but because they are based in Dallas I have little recourse. I thought they were local and they also operate under A1 Chimney Sweep. Infact I was surprised when the technician came that he had Texas license plate and out of state phone number. In Dallas they have an F rating by the BBB. They need to be stopped in Illinois and we feel we are dealing with a local company and that is not the case and we have no recourse when they literally rip people off. After finally locating in Dallas I read the review and this same scam is a pattern.

  Business response

  05/25/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/04/14) */ Mrs. ****** called in for service for a dryer vent cleaning. She scheduled a appointment for January 20th. During our technicians onsite analysis he determined there was a clog and needed a deep cleaning. Mrs. ****** also had a 35 foot line that is not the norm. She was told the prices before any type of service was started and she agreed. I have attached photos of the signed invoice and picture of the job site from our technician. Everything was done properly. We reached out to Mr. ****** who called into complain, his complaint was not the actual job its self it was the amount of money. We made Mrs ****** fully aware of the price before hand. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/04/18) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) ******* ****** is single and resides alone at the residence. There is no Mr. ****** that was ever involved nor did a Mr. ****** ever call the company. I agreed to the price as I was unsure if this was a fair price and I had the technican telling me it was even after they were unable to clear any vent after trying for 45 minutes. He still insisted the price would be $770. Something felt very wrong but I did not want to confront him alone in my home and felt I would deal with the owner who I immediately called. A customer service rep called me and said she would speak to technician and get back to me. She never called back (see texts). I was also hung up on 2 or 3 more times. I then called two other companies and was told that it didn't matter if the line was 2 ft or 35 ft I should have paid no more than $185. Even though their ad said $99 initially I felt I was being fair paying them $185 for trying but fixing nothing. I then recontacted the company - no word back. My dispute - they fixed nothing and were unwilling to even discuss the situation with me. I felt I was dealing with a local company due to their ad and learned they are not even based in Chicago. It is a Dallas based company who comes into town to clean chimneys. The time spent was at most 1 hour and given that 2 other companies said the price is not just I feel they owe me a refund of $585 for trying but fixing nothing.

• Initial Complaint

  04/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I paid for A1 Chimney Service in Austin, TX to service my fi replace and install a chimney cap. The chimney cap fell off within a couple of months. A technician finally came out to look at it in January and said that the cap that had been put on was too small. He said a new cap would be ordered and put on. It is now April. I still have no chimney cap, and the company does not respond to my messages.

  Business response

  05/23/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2022/04/29) */ The client has been issued a refund She was sent a check last week. Should receive any day. Consumer Response /* (2000, 9, 2022/05/02) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)

• Initial Complaint

  02/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I had. A1 air duct come out on August 4,2021 to fix my leaky chimney. They sent a tech David out. He advised if any issues accure to call A1 back and they will come back out. He said they warranty their work for a year. It's only been 5 months. Well we got some rain and my chimney is still leaking. I called company and they said they will not warranty the work, they will only give me a $49 credit cause tech is no longer with them. I told them you hired the tech you are responsible for the tech and his work no matter if he is there or not. They kept hanging up on me and passing me around. I called for three days before I even got a answer in the first place. Very rude and unprofessional.

• Initial Complaint

  01/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Date of Transaction - 01/06/2021 I paid a total of $331.00 Standard AirDuct cleaning of my main unit and a full cleaning of my clothes dryer vent that came with a 2 year warranty if the dryer vent was to be clogged again. Per the invoice I have from them, I have paid for a 2 year warranty to have the dryer vent clean if I need it in the next two years. The dispute is when I called them in early Nov. of 2021 to act on the warranty they declined to honor the warranty which is to come out and clean the dryer vent. I called more than 4 times and they shuffled me around and did not follow up and just blew me off not calling me back after I had text and left messages with their corp. office. THEY DID NOT TRY TO HELP ME WITH THIS AT ALL. THEY WOULD NOT COME OUT BASED ON SERVICING ON A WARRANTY. I EVEN SENT THEM THE INVOICE THAT STATES THE WARRANTY WAS PAID FOR. INVOICE #***** PERFORMED BY A REP NAMED JORDAN FOR THE AMOUNT OF $331.00

• Initial Complaint

  12/10/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  On Oct 8, 2021, I asked for a chimney inspection/cleaning. But what I got was scare tactics and a assurance that the work was necessary and needed to avoid further damage to my roof and ceilings. Even though none of this damage had occurred and I had no signs of any damage. They insisted that this had happening and I needed for the work to be done right away. I, unknowing, thought that this was the truth and went along with their recommendations. But once they left and I really thought about it, this did not make sense. I had not seen any signs of any of the damage they had spoken of and I seeked additional help from other vendors. And they indicated that the work that took place did not cost the amount I was charged and the damage that I was told that was occurring was not there. I seek to be refunded the amount that I was overcharged for what they did do. But my efforts feel short, to the fact that they refunded a small portion to humor me but refused to go any further and I indicated to them that the amount that should have been charged was far less. I feel that I was taking advantage of because they knew that I had no idea of the work that would be required and I could not climb on the roof to follow up on the work that they claimed that was needed. That's why I'm seeking additional help to follow up on refunding of over charges for fraudulent work that was claimed from actual need. That's the reason why I'm seeking help to receive the fair market price of what they actually did do and if unable for refund I would definitely like to go on record for this being a formal complaint against their tactics of scaring and overstating actual work and services needed.

• Initial Complaint

  12/10/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I was quoted $99 on the phone to clean my dryer vent from the unit to the outside. From the moment that the technician walked into my home (he had caulk and a machine and a large bag with him) he said that the $99 was actually only for 10 feet and it would be $10 per foot for any additional feet after that, plus if he hit "an obstruction" that it would be another additional $150 for a "cleaning solution" that would loosen it up. I told him that I was only interested in the $99 that I was quoted that would clean the entire dryer vent from the unit to the outside. He said okay and put the drill with the cleaning attachment less than 2 feet in before he told me it was completely obstructed. Keep in mind that my home was only built 1.5 years ago so there is no way that my entire dryer vent is obstructed with lint. I was still charged the $99 even though he did not do the work promised, and I have now hired ******* to come out who said that there is no such cleaning solution for dryer vent cleanings. The entire process was scammy and misleading.

• Initial Complaint

  09/09/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  On 9/4/2021 we called A1 Air Duct. They advertised $99.00 cleaning special, person on phone said it was a set price. Two guys showed up, pulled out dryer, got a lot of lint on floor to show us how clogged it was. Told us our vent had to be thoroughly cleaned,price $599.00. They pressured us to have it done, or they would leave mess as is and go to another customer. We finally agreed since we are seniors, my husband disabled. We wouldn't be able to move the dryer back or clean it up. They used a snake with a brush, hands, never a vacuum. A lot came out outside, they left it until I said to clean it up. After that they tried dryer, said it's still not working right. Went up to attic, showed us a picture with a broken split pipe. Said needed replacing, another $800.00. We never heard anyone upstairs, they came in a little while later said all done. We never heard a peep up there. Never showed us the defect. We are now nervous that they really didn't get everything in the vents.

*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. ↩