Emergency AC Repair and Furnace Tune-up DO NOT RECOMMEND
I hate to put 0 stars because it seems like I am overly angry/bitter in writing my review. I'm not. I just was not satisfied at all with the company and I would absolutely not recommend this company. Please read review as to why, might be items that do not matter to you.
I called Brown's for two service jobs:
1. Furnace check-up and tune up
2. A/C emergency repair
1. Furnace check-up and tune-up
I called Brown's to do an annual check-up/tune-up on my furnace at the beginning of winter. This is the first 'annual' tune-up I did, so really didn't know what to expect.
- Felt like a sales called disguised as a tune up that I paid for
- Would not recommend service as no service was actually performed. THERE WERE TWO CRACKS IN THE FURNACE THAT WERE LEAKING CARBON MONOXIDE AND NOT CAUGHT BY THE CHECK-UP
- I would caution based on my experience and reading some other reviews that technicians create a disingenuous sense that they are looking out for your best interests as a sales tactic (I.e. to increase the likelihood of sales as well as to limit the likelihood that you will look to obtain a second opinion and/or quote).
--> To combat this:
1) Consider whether the technician is genuinely advocating for your best interests or just saying things to make you feel a false sense of trust. This is easy to test because it is always in your best interest to get a second opinion/quote. Even if the technician is saying to get a second opinion, consider whether you are being made to feel guilty about getting that second opinion/quote (example: "you could get a second opinion, they will tell you the same thing and charge you a heck of a lot more").
2) Regardless of any feeling of guilt: get a second opinion/quote. There should be no hard feelings about you doing this.
2. AC Emergency Repair:
My AC stopped working over the weekend and, with no other technicians I knew to call, I called Brown's (regretfully).
- Diagnoses was based on interview questions of me rather than inspection. Completely misdiagnosed the problem.
- Abruptly started ripping things apart. See above, misdiagnoses = ripping out things that didn't need to be ripped out.
- Did no work and charged nearly $200
- Was supposed to call back the next day to set confirm what was wrong and what next steps were. We are 3 days after the EMERGENCY call and still no call back.
- Ended up going to another technician. $200 down the drain.
- Approximate cost of services:
- $300.00
- Company Response
Hello Ivan ... in response to your review and the several inaccuracies in it ... We attended your house Nov 1 2017 for a tuneup, and you wanted advise on wiring for the thermostat, which needed a wire added (per work order 5804). Our technician was concerned about the safety and state of your 20+ year old furnace, noting that parts were worn and it was likely to fail. This was why he talked to you about getting a new furnace. He spent a lot of time talking to you and going through your furnace, even making a diagram of it and the plenum. Notes that the technician made on the work order (which you received/signed) indicate that both the ventor motor and sealed bearings were worn, which he discovered as he cleaned your furnace. At the time of the precision tune up the carbon monoxide levels were acceptable, but then the furnace ran for another full winter and, as predicted, continued to fail. If the furnace had a crack and carbon monoxide levels were unacceptable at the time of the tune up, then a red tag, forcing the unit to be turned off, would have immediately been issued by our technician. It appears that 8 months later you did have to replace the furnace as parts did fail (possibly causing the problem with your AC, see below) - I understand you got a new furnace within the last week or so. I am sorry you feel that a technician advising that a failing, 20+ year old furnace should be replaced was somehow a "disingenuous sense that we are looking out for your best interests as a sales tactic", but it was his best professional opinion, one which turned out to be absolutely true. We do many, many furnace and air conditioner tune ups, and very few are referred for replacement.
Regarding the call on Sunday July 1st (Canada Day Holiday, 40+ degrees out, original call received after 5:00PM), you sent the message that "the blower isn't working and there is water leaking from the furnace". We attended the next day (Holiday Monday) and found that the blower motor (which is in your furnace, see above) failed, causing your AC coil to freeze and the TX valve needed replacing. I am not sure why you are saying we "abruptly started ripping things apart". We were called to investigate, and we had to disassemble the equipment to trace back what had gone wrong and to allow the air to get at the wet, damaged parts. That is what we were called to do. Then you claim we did no work.
This wasn't a diagnosis over the phone as you state, as evidenced by the hand written cheque dated July 2nd you gave to the technician when he was at your house. You say that we charged you $200 .. this isn't true, you were charged $150 for coming to your house on a holiday, investigating the cause of the problem ("ripping things apart") and diagnosing the fix, and ordering replacement equipment. Your cheque is for $169.50 (which is $150 plus $19.50 tax as shown on your work order, which also identified what went wrong and what parts needed replacing). As the 2nd was the holiday Monday and all suppliers are closed, parts were ordered on the 3rd, and we called you on the 4th when the parts were in. You didn't return the call and posted this review the next day.
On reviewing your file it appears that the technician did everything properly, gave correct advise, responded in a reasonable time frame, and worked at all times in your best interests.