ComplaintsforE.H Gochnauer & Sons, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  04/04/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Purchased HVAC system from EHGochnaur (EHG) in July 2021; heat and evaporator of unit installed in attic. After A/C running for some period of time, (we were not at home), our house-sitter felt water dripping on her from the ceiling under the unit. People from EHG came to look and didn't initially see anything to cause it. Insurance company cut a check to repair drywall ceiling and repaint. At a later time, a technician came, (again we were not home), but I saw on security camera that he went up, came down, returned with a towel and bucket, then left with bucket looking noticeably heavier. I had ************* (**) come to evaluate. Their technician removed a side panel and saw a pattern on the evaporator fins which he thought looked like what would form if ice had formed on the fins, then melted. **s tech also mentioned mold growth. I obtained a copy of his photos documenting this. So it seems the unit iced up, the ice melted, and water overflowed the containment basin and through the ceiling. I’ve contacted EHG several times verbally, texting, emails. Other than initially coming to see the damage, sopping up water with a towel (from where?), some phone conversations when I was told they didn’t know what was wrong, I’ve been stonewalled from them contacting me, even after sending photos of the unit’s condition. I don’t want the unit to ice up, and the catch basin must be able to drain water away from the unit. I wouldn’t mind if ECG would pay ** to fix the job. 

  Business response

  04/04/2023

  This unit was installed on July 7th 2021- attic system with a secondary drain pan installed and wired if the unit would leak into the emergency pan, the system would shut the unit down and require a service call. We never received a single call with water in the pan.

  The following all took place in November when AC system was not operating (the outside temp for November 7 was 57 degree for a high)

  The call for water leak came in November 7th- We sent out 2 representatives immediately after hours on Nov 7th- (neither where technicians, the past owner and our sales rep) to make sure the situation was not severe since the homeowner was not there - both looked in attic and could not find any leak where the water was on the floor in the kitchen that was reported- the area that they found the water on the floor was not below the system.

  The next day we sent out a technician to see if he could find any issues- this is the technician the customer has a video of with a bucket- as you can see by notes- the existing condensate line had a belly in - as explained this is why he would take a bucket- Since this was a friend of the owner we waited a day and sent a second tech out on November 9 2021 to see if any leak was happening- he also found very little evidence of any water damage or leak- We could only assume this was created by the belly in the line- or maybe a roof/sky light leak- The customer was informed to let us know if it happened again. 

  The customer did reach out to myself 2 weeks ago with the pictures and asked about resolving this before summer- So this was not a high priority since we are where in March- We will be glad look at job -

  As for his complaints- I am not sure what he is looking for - I would like to see service records from 2022 to show if the unit did have an issue- also see the maintenance reports that the system was service properly - We stand behind our work 100% - since 1933- so not sure why after 1-1/2 years now he files a compliant based on another contractor if he has not had an issue since November 2021?

   We provide a full 1 year labor warranty- so nothing above was charged for-

• Initial Complaint

  04/19/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In December 2021 a Technician From EH Gochnauer showed up to my house and told me the compresser was broken and needed to be replaced. That was $255. He then came back about a week later to preform the replacement. That took two hours and I was charged $1670 even though the heat pump was two and a half years old. I was told that I had a one year warranty on the work. Six days later my heat pump stop working again. Someone came out and got it working for another week before it stop yet again. This is now in January and I had to use my fireplace to heat my home. In February I finally called back and someone came out. He spent a couple of hours going thru the entire unit. When he was done He tried to give me a bill for $600. I told him I had a warranty and I wanted to speak to his boss. He told me he would speak to the boss and get back to me. Last weekend I received an invoice in the mail for the $600.00. The best part is my Heat pump still doesn't work. I woke up yesterday morning and it was 61 degrees in my house with the heat pump sending out cold air. I would like to know why I was billed $600.00 when I was told there was a one year warranty.

  Business response

  04/21/2022

  While I understand a customer's frustration with multiple repairs on the same unit- The work we performed was all documented (see attached) 

  We did not install the system- new customer on original call

  12/14/2021 Original call- Diagnostic and dispatch fee was $255 customer paid

  12/22/2021 Replaced faulty compressor  $1680.00 customer paid

  12/30/2021 Call for unit not performing 8 days later- no charge for diagnosis (standard as we do not know if related to work that was performed)

  during above call found the Thermal Expansion Valve (TXV) was sticking- tech freed up the valve and it operated but recommended if it does it again we recommend replacing the valve

  2/1/2022 Call for unit not operating- We found the TXV was again sticking and recommended replacing the valve- NO Charge for the return call

  2/16/2022 Returned to replace the Thermal Expansion Valve- Charge was $600.00 customer has not paid

  We honor our service work for 90 days with parts warranty is what the manufacturer provides (both instances in this case is 1 year on part)

  If he has another issue - he would need to call us (he has not placed a service call with us since the last repair that is unpaid at this point) 

  If the TXV is part of the no heat now - the repair would be at no charge

  the compressor labor warranty expired, but the part warranty is still intact- Although we have always worked with customers due to multiple repairs to the same part in a short time period

  any questions please let me know- we want to make sure our customers are satisfied with our work- and always try to achieve this- as we all know in some situations it is beyond our control with part failures 

  thank you

  Bob A*************

  Vice President

  Customer response

  04/28/2022

  [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 as Answered]
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Our disagreement is that the two repairs are unrelated. I believe that the technician who installed the compressor damaged the THX valve therefore one repair caused the other issue and I shouldn't have to pay the company to fix there mistake.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************
  

  Business response

  05/12/2022

  I am very easy going and usually always side with our customers to make sure they are satisfied with work we perform- I only state facts and believe if it is our mistake we will always take responsibility for our work- In this situation- we only know the facts

  1. the compressor failed (not sure what caused the failure- could have been time or could have been another part failure) 

  2. A refrigerant circuit is a sealed system and needs to free of all containments - we use nitrogen to braze any refrigerant lines- we then use a vacuum pump and run that till the system is below 400 micron levels (this ensures all moisture is out of the system after opening up the system for a repair) - 

  3. The failure of a THX can happen for many reason-the 3 most common are

  1. Particle in the system (which is what you believe) when a particle is in the system usually it will not free up and allow the valve to start working- this would require replacement to get the system to work again

  2. The valve sticking - Sometimes this could be temporary- I have seen tapping on valve open and it would work- usually in this case we would tell customer if this happens again, we recommend replacement rather than hoping it opens later

  3. A sensor bulb failing- This requires a new THX to get unit running again

  Reviewing your history- we where out in December after the compressor install- Technician found THX was sticking- he was able to get the THX to operate and noted- if this happens again, we recommend a new THX- The unit ran for 2 months and the valve stuck again- we replaced the valve- and charged you $600 (this was discounted already since we did perform the compressor replacement) 

  This is the reasons I strongly believe you had a part failure that is unfortunate- and it was nothing our technician could have seen before hand or even created- 

  I will be glad to discuss with you and come to agreeable resolution with you - just give me a call

  thank you

  Bob A************

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