ComplaintsforARC Mechanical Contractors, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  05/27/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  One of our mini split systems was wrongly certified by this company as "functioning without issue" meanwhile the system was gradually leaking refrigerant all along where it's now all the way down to zero. This company installed the mini split system in June 2015 so they were familiar it. Had the servicing work they were hired by the property seller to do in August 2022 been competently performed, the deficiencies would or should have been identified and repaired as required by our sales contract prior to acquisition of the property. The system was sparsely used since our acquisition and we trusted this company's written assertions, so the insidious defect remained undiscovered until late May 2024. Their unprofessional work has led to the prospect of a very costly repair that was never ours to shoulder.

  Business response

  06/03/2024

  Dear ***,
  
  We have not been given the chance to diagnose the leak you are referencing. We inspected this 9-year-old system in August of 2022 and at no charge replaced a broken blower wheel under manufacturer warranty. We in fact should have charged labor to do so. At that time,the system was fully functional and operational. Nearly two years have passed,and anything could have happened to cause the system to lose its refrigerant charge. Perhaps a failed coil, or a failed flare connection and an assortment of other things.
  
  We are in no way responsible for the system out of refrigerant. And again, we have not even looked at the system in almost two years.
  
  If you would like to discuss further,please contact us and understand that this is not a free visit and under no circumstance are we not charging for our work. If there is a failed part that is under warranty, we will absolutely make sure that is handled with Mitsubishi.Best regards,

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

  Customer response

  06/04/2024

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  ***************** unbelievably states that a perfectly healthy split system can leak almost 8 pounds of refrigerant all by itself. No evidence is provided that the system was actually tested or refrigerant charge checked. It's clear that a proper servicing and checkup wasn't performed. The passage of time is not a valid excuse here. In all likelihood, this was a slow leak caused by a faulty installation and/or equipment that should have been timely detected and addressed but for ARC's negligence. His reference to replacing a blower wheel here is moot in a badly leaking system. Instead, I'm facing potential equipment damage on top of the leak repairs that a reputable contractor has quoted as costing AT LEAST $5K for the diagnostic alone!
  
  ******************************* 

• Initial Complaint

  12/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  From the beginning there were issues with our heating system installation. First, ARC did not schedule an electrician so the installation was not completed for several weeks after the agreed upon completion date in our contract. Second, the electricians ARC subcontracted to complete the work violated three electrical code requirements in ** and created a fire hazard in our ********* dragged their feet for well over a year getting someone out to fix the safety issues. I persisted and eventually resolved the problems with a different contractor. Third, there have been consistent issues with the system keeping the house warm. When temperatures drop below 40F the house starts getting cold and continues to fare worse and worse as temperatures drop lower. In the winter of 2023 we had burst pipes and flooding because the system could not keep the house above freezing temperatures. The equipment installed is rated to work at 100% capacity down to 5F and at a reduced capacity down to -13F.I have contacted the manufacturer ************ who has confirmed that ARC did not properly design the system for our heating needs and did not perform the necessary engineering calculations required to have a functional system (in regards to assessing heating needs of the building and selecting proper equipment under ACCA trade association guidelines).The contractor has stated they do not follow the engineering guidelines of the systems they install and instead perform installations using "rule of thumb". I requested an engineering calculation be done retroactively to prove that the installed system was suited to our ********* generated a fraudulent engineering report with values manipulated to reflect the performance of the equipment they installed. The values entered into the engineering software do not match the home. This practice is unethical, ignores installation guidelines for equipment, and doesn't meet standards followed by HVAC trade. It may also invalidate equipment warranty.

  Business response

  01/17/2024

  Here is a recap of work completed on by ARC. We have not heard from ******************* since the repairs were made on 12-28-2023.
  
  - Recovered refrigerant and weighed current charge. Unit was four pounds low on refrigerant.
  - Performed pressure test at 600psi for 45 minutes with no pressure drop.
  - Moved living room indoor head down to an appropriate height of 3.5 from ceiling.
  - Recharged with new refrigerant to the factory specs.
  - Tested unit operation and indoor units are heating as designed.
  
  Concerns moving forward:
  We stated on our signed proposal A back-up heating system is strongly recommended for any heat pump system. *** removed his existing primary heating system and has not installed anything in its place.When temps drop below the heat pumps capabilities the unit will shut down and provide zero heat. *** cannot control that and he knew this going in.
  I hope it is not an issue but if/when this happens there is nothing we can do to help.

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