Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/06/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On, November 25, 2022, Vanderford Air technician Derrick arrived for annual heating HVAC system maintenance. Derrick stepped on a water pipe in my attic, causing water to flood my home. Reported incident to Vanderford Air who agreed to cover the costs of repairs for water damage to my home. The company did not fulfill their promise. They did not hire a professional water damage restoration company to immediately remove flooded carpet, identify water damage in the hallway, guest bathroom, dining room, attic, insulation, ceiling, etc. Vanderford Air acknowledged that the flooding of my home was their fault. They refuse to hire a professional water damage restoration company or agree to pay for a professional water damage restoration company who could remove damp carpet, drywall, tile, etc to prevent mold from forming. I am requesting that Robert Vanderford, owner of Vanderford Air, pay to me monetary damages for water damage and water damage restoration to my home, furniture, carpet, my loss of income, etc.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/06/2022

  Myself and Service Manager have tried to speak with Clarissa ******* just yesterday to try and finalize this incident and come to a conclusion.  But she will not listen, or allow the final steps to take place.  Instead she talks over you on the phone and hangs up before any type of resolution is met.  Very hard to get resolution on any incident when the home owner can not have a conversation.  But here is what has happened in detail.  These are facts that can be backed up with photos and multiple witnesses.  At the end of this statement there will the options to conclude and resolve the incident.

  During a service visit on Friday November 25th, our service technician Derrick ******** stepped on a 1/2" water line in the attic and cracked it.  He had the water to the house turned off within 5-10 minutes.  Water had gone on the sheetrock ceiling around the pipe.  Derrick removed all of the wet insulation and bagged it for trash immediately after turning off water.  Derrick then used his vacuum and sucked all of the water from on top of the sheetrock in the attic.  Water leaked on the carpet below from the A/C vent openings in the ceiling.  The A/C vent openings are just a couple feet away from the cracked pipe, and the path of least resistance.  After the wet insulation was removed and any remaining water was sucked up by a vacuum, the sheetrock ceiling was relatively dry.  Our plumber was dispatched within the hour to fix the pipe.  The plumber was also there to witness that all of this work to remove the water immediately from the ceiling was performed.  The plumber left a fan at the home to help with the drying process on Friday.  Clarissa ******* was told about this work and that we will let the ceiling dry for at least a week, and then we can address adding new insulation.  Derrick also promised to return next day with a carpet cleaning machine to vacuum all remaining water from the carpet.  Saturday November 26th, our service manager Dan Fry called Clarrissa to inform her that Derrick will be there with a carpet cleaner that day and look at everything from overnight.  Derrick arrived at Clarissa's home with a Rug Doctor, and removed all water from the carpet.  He brought a 2nd fan with him after cleaning carpet.  So there was two fans left blowing air across the cleaned carpet.  Derrick then went into the attic and checked on the ceiling.  The sheetrock was now dry and not wet.  He took pictures of everything while there on Friday, Saturday, and Monday.  The carpet at this time on Saturday after cleaning was just damp, with 2 fans blowing air across(provide by Vanderford Air), until Monday November 28th.  Derrick now returned on Monday November 28th to check on carpet and home.  The carpet was mostly dry at this point, lightly damp.  Derrick had his shoes off and was wearing socks.  His socks did not get wet.  He doubled checked on the sheetrock.  It was now dry.  It had a light stain on the ceiling, and Derrick took pictures of everything once again.  At this point he discussed returning after a week.  We would bring a manager and a contractor to finish any work that would be needed to finish.  Examples would be painting and sealing sheetrock, and replacing the insulation.  All water was removed properly and immediately.  No sheetrock was damaged, or broken.  The water went through the A/C vent openings in the sheetrock.  And was removed and vacuumed immediately.

  So here are the options available to Clarissa *******.  One, we return with a contractor and complete the following:  paint and seal sheetrock, install new insulation that was removed, and have carpets cleaned after everything has been dry for over a week.  Or Two, we have our insurance contact her and have an adjuster come out to review everything above.  She can pick.  If she would actually have a proper conversation this would have already happened.

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/14/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  
  
  
  
  I reject the response from Vanderford Air & Plumbing,
  Inc.  Vanderford Air &
  Plumbing is not telling the truth about communications between myself and Dan,
  Jeremy, and Robert Vanderford.  Jeremy
  alleges that I talked over them.  Please
  feel free to release all recordings of our telephone conversations to prove
  your allegation.  I would love to hear
  each and every full recording of the past conversations with Jeremy, Dan, and
  Robert Vanderford about the water damage Vanderford Air & Plumbing caused
  to my home on 11/25/22.  Vanderford Air does not specialize in water damage and restoration.  They do not possess the capabilities and qualifications to repair water damage and restoration.    
  
  As of today's date, I have not received Vanderford Air &
  Plumbing’s Insurance Company information.  I asked for Vanderford Air
  & Plumbing’s insurance information on multiple occasions.    The list of violations goes
  on and on.  
  
  1.  I
  never received an invoice from Vanderford Air for the incident that
  occurred on 11/25/22. 
  

  2. My
  home did indeed flood because the water from the broken water pipe was
  gushing through the attic, ceiling, and walls.  There was standing
  water in my home.  My tile and carpet in the hallway, guest bathroom,
  living room, and dining room was soaking wet with water.  Vanderford
  left flood water in my home.  
  

  3. Vanderford
  Air did not directly supervise Derrick, the technician that stepped on the
  water pipe in my attic causing my home to flood.  Dan appear to know
  the extent of the water damage to my home even through Derrick had
  personal knowledge of my home flooding.  Derrick even acknowledged
  that my home was flooding when he tried to locate the water shut-off valve
  for my home.  It took Derrick over 10 minutes to find the water valve
  and shut off the water to my home to avoid further water
  damage.  
  

  4. Vanderford
  Air knowingly and intentionally induced me to rely on their promise to
  repair my home and take care of the water damage to my home. 
  Vanderford never intended to hire a water damage repair and restoration
  company to repair and restore my home from the water damage they
  caused.  I relied on Vanderford Air's promise to take care of the
  water damage to my home.  Dan from Vanderford Air told me that
  Vanderford Air would not pay for a professional water damage restoration
  company to come to my home and repair the water damage and restore my
  home.  My home was further damaged as a result of Vanderford Air's
  inducement to persuade me to only rely on them for repair and restoration
  to my home from the water damage.
  

  5. Vanderford
  Air sent Derrick out to my home on 11/28/22 to assess the water damage to
  my home.  Derrick is not a licensed plumber.  Derrick lacks the
  capabilities and qualifications to properly assess water damage to my home
  and property.  Vanderford Air sent Derrick here as their expert even
  though they knew that he lacked the qualifications and capabilities to
  assess water damage to my home.  Vanderford Air did not attempt to
  send a professional water damage restoration company with the capabilities
  and qualifications to repair and restore my home.  Vanderford Air
  does not specialize in water damage and restoration.  It is not a
  skill listed on their website.  Vanderford Air knew that it did not
  possess the skills necessary to repair the water damage they caused to my
  home and restore my home.  
  

  6. Vanderford
  Air knowingly and intentionally stated incorrect facts on an invoice dated
  11/28/22 pertaining to the water damage they caused to my home. 
  

  7.Vanderford
  Air knowingly and intentionally lied about actions that they claimed that
  took to remediate the water damage they caused to my home.  They
  never dried my carpet, ceiling, walls, etc.  They never cleaned my
  carpet.  The ceiling and sheetrock in my is clearly damaged and
  cannot simply be repainted.  The carpet was never taken up and never
  dried all the way.  My home is still a mess thanks to Vanderford
  Air.  They do not know how to this treat water damage that they
  caused.  They lied on the 11/28/22 invoice about everything.  It
  is very easy to prove that they were not truthful.  
  

  8. Vanderford
  Air is doing everything in their power to avoid paying for repairs from
  the water damage to my home and restoration for my home.  They did
  not and are still not complying with the Texas Administration Code statutes/rules.   
  

  
  
  
  
   

  
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/15/2022

  Since we have not heard back directly from Clarissa ******* after giving her options to finish repairs(on this BBB message, on the phone, and by email), we turned this matter over to our insurance company to handle last week.  We are no longer involved.  Clarissa ******* can deal directly with our insurance company.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/29/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  Vanderford Air intentionally and knowingly induced me into believing that they would pay for the water damage mitigation that their tech caused to my home.  My home is no longer recognizable nor comfortable to live in since Vanderford Air caused the water damage to my home.  In fact, Vanderford Air was and is content to leave my home in poor deteriorating conditions.  To be clear, Vanderford Air did violated Texas rules and regulations by not providing me with their company's insurance information, knowingly and intentionally misrepresenting the work that they did, and falsifying invoices pertaining to the water damage that they caused to my home.  Vanderford Air has yet to comply with the rules, regulations, and my requests for information that should have been furnished to me immediately upon my request and/or after they claimed that they completed a task.   They left my home in a very poor state after they caused the water damage.  Vanderford Air supervisors and the owner are completely unprofessional and refuse to accepting responsibility for their actions.  The supervisors and owner have not been truthful and forthcoming with me throughout this process.  They have yet to apologize for their conduct and apologize to me for the way that they are treating me. 

  I hope that this review helps.  

  
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  
  
   

  
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/04/2023

  100% False Information.  Please reference our previous response with details of what actually happened, and immediate actions that happened the same day.  This claim was also turned over to our insurance company the first week of December 2022.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/18/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  In fact, I am insulted by their untruthfulness and falsification of documents.  This business owner, managers, and technician are not being honest.  Their actions continue to result in additional damages and claims against them.  Furthermore, I can prove that Vanderford Air is being untruthful about the so called actions that were taken after their technician stepped on a water pipe in my attic and flooded my home.  The response received from Vanderford Air’s owner, managers, and technicians show that they do not care about all the damage they caused and continue to cause from flooding mg home.  I am doing the right thing by reporting Vanderford Air’s failure to provide me with their insurance information upon my request, misrepresentation of services, falsifying documents, etc. Texas Consumers have the right to file complaints against HVAC companies on the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation website for violations of rules and statutes.  Texas Consumers may also report plumbing businesses to the Texas State Department of Plumbing Examiners.  I do not take reporting businesses lightly.  I hope that consumers find this information helpful.  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  
  
   
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/30/2023

  This matter was turned over to my insurance company on 12-8-22 and a claim No. 22005050 was created.  This has been in the insurance company's hands and I am no longer involved.  All correspondence should be with the insurance company since 12-8-22.  My original response was 100% truthful and accurate to the events surrounding this claim.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/13/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  The owner is not being truthful about his actions and the actions of his subordinates.  It is because of Vanderford Air’s company that my house is still suffering from water damage.  Vanderford Air did not originate a complaint with their liability insurance company until December 13, 2022, almost one month later after they caused the water damage to my home.  My house is still in shambles and I have had to put my life on hold due to the games that Vanderford Air played.  They deliberately delayed any preventative actions that should have been taken to prevent further damage to my home from the busted water pipe that flooded my home.  Vanderford Air intentionally misrepresented the circumstances of the water damage they caused to my home.  Vanderford Air intentionally lied about performing any water damage mitigation to my home, which resulted in extensive damage to my home.  Vanderford Air is negligent and their actions trying to cover up the incidents are egregious.  Damages to my home continue to accrue as a result of Vanderford Air’s actions.  I will continue to press for water da age mitigation repairs to be performed and for my home to be reconstructed to my complete satisfaction.  
  
  
  
  Regard
  
   
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/15/2023

  Good afternoon,
  
  I am emailing because I keep getting sent that this complaint is not resolved.  If you read my correspondence, this was not only handled immediately but also turned over to our insurance company within a week after it was actually resolved.  This is becoming just harassment at this point.  I spoke with our insurance company just this past week, and they have been in constant contact with Clarissa *******.  She has been stringing this out and would not let the insurance company look at reported damage for weeks.  It is no longer in my hands but in the hands of my insurance company.  I also listed the claim number in my last response.  Please update this on your end, I have done everything possible except buy her a new house for 5 gallons of water that was removed immediately.  Thanks.