ComplaintsforCapital Plumbing Contractors, Inc.
Need to file a complaint?
BBB is here to help. We'll guide you through the process.
Complaint Details
Note that complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. See details.
Initial Complaint
08/15/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Unresolved
Transaction: 6/17/2024 Business charged and was paid: $1152.21 The plumber was requested to repair propane gas leaks in piping he installed during hurricane Michael restoration in the summer of 2019 and partially replaced in November 2021. This gas line has had recurrent leaks ever since it was installed. Until now, this business responded quickly and repaired the leaks without charging. The dominant leak this time was in two couplings at the ends of a six foot long piece of the line that they replaced in November 2021. These leaks were above the underpinnings of the house under the kitchen floor creating a serious fire hazard for 2-1/2 years. Additionally, I had to remove the underpinning panels to expose the pipe and use my gas leak detector to find the leaks, then hire a contractor to replace and refinish the panels after the leaks were fixed. The house is used only 8-10 weeks a year since Michael with only a tankless water heater supplied propane, yet two tanks (200 gal/$800) of propane were used (I.e. leaked)! The business was contacted by emails on 6/22, 7/2, and 7/16 and by phone on 7/2, 7/26, and 8/14. On 8/14, the owner (******* *****) refused to refund any part of the $1152.21 ($482.21 parts + $670.00 labor) that I requested, even though I advised him of my intent to file this complaint. Note that this is our vacation property and my permanent address is: *** ******* ****, ******* ** *****Business response
08/20/2024
To Whom it Concerns.
We provide a one year warranty for all work and parts. We did return once out of our warranty period as a professional courtesy. We believe this was a manufacturer of parts issue.
Thank you
Customer response
08/20/2024
[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
Complaint: ********
I am rejecting this response because: Capital Plumbing did not properly install and leak test the TracPipe repair they made in November 2021, otherwise it would not have leaked ever since then and cost me two tanks of propane with virtually zero occupancy usage. I contend that they did a sloppy job of installing the pipe couplings and didn't tighten them properly. The manufacturer's installation manual states the following:
"The TracPipe®CounterStrike® CSST (corrugated stainless steel tubing) flexible gas piping material must only be installed by a qualified person who has been successfully trained through the The TracPipe®CounterStrike® gas piping installation program."
Additionally, it states that "Only the components provided or specified by OmegaFlex® as part of the approved piping system are to be used in the installation."
Finally, at every fitting along the pipe route, the plumber removed excess jacket material compared to the maximum allowable specified in the installation manual, thus exposing the pipe to the external salt air environment. These are the locations of the other leaks in the system caused by improper installation practices by unqualified installers.
Regards,
******* ******
Business response
09/03/2024
There is two sides to every story.
Respectfully,
******* *****
Customer response
09/06/2024
[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
Complaint: ********
I am rejecting this response because:
I contacted the manufacturer of the TracPipe corrugated stainless steel (CSS) gas pipe system, OmegaFlex and shared photos of the installation at all stages (initial installation, modified November 2021 configuration and current configuration installed June 17, 2024). I specifically asked *** *** ******** whether they have a history of defects in the subject piping and/or the fittings as claimed by ****** ***** of Capital Plumbing. The following summarizes our conclusions:
1. AutoSnap fittings installed improperly (leaving several inches of exposed CSS without required wrapping)
2. Counterstrike covering totally removed on ~8 ft. section under water heater
3. TracPipe buried when not approved for burial
4. Fitting leaks most likely caused by failure to apply the proper torque
5. Fittings, once tight, do not untighten and leak
6. No history of TracPipe material defects
7. No history of AutoSnap nor AutoFlare fitting defectsItems 1-5 above are faulty installation issues not manufacturer/material defects. *** ******** is checking training records to see if anyone at Capital Plumbing is actually qualified to install the TracPipe system.
This claim should not be classified as Administratively Resolved by the BBB with no action on the part of Capital Plumbing.
Respectfully,
******* ******
*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. ↩
BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.
BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles.
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. If you choose to do business with this business, please let the business know that you contacted BBB for a BBB Business Profile.
As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business. Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation.
Customer Reviews are not used in the calculation of BBB Rating
Customer Complaints Summary
2 total complaints in the last 3 years.
1 complaints closed in the last 12 months.