Tankless water heater warranty replacement/feeling ripped off
My 6 year old Rheem tankless water was leaking. I called Affordable Comfort and they sent out a technician who took an hour and a half to diagnose the problem as a failed heat exchanger and negotiate a replacement to be supplied. The charge was 185$. They said they would install a new water heater for 500$, which I thought was rather expensive, as the piping etc. was already in place, but thought that perhaps it took longer than I thought to install. In the meantime, there was some confusion about the warranty and the woman on the phone was somewhat less than polite in answering my questions. When I tried to call the owner, he was "busy", although the technician had just talked to him before and after this conversation.
On installation day, two men were here for slightly more than an hour. When the bill was presented, there was a 25$ administrative fee charged which I had not been told about and they would not waive. This was apparently for time spent dealing with the manufacturer on the phone. Overall, I feel that 800$ is an excessive charge, given that the water heater itself was free under warranty, the installation took only 1-1/2 hours, and the technician that diagnosed the problem charged me for a second hour due to the fact that he was on the phone to Rheem for so long; It seems like I was charged twice for that. In any case, the total cost and warranty details should have been clearly stated in the beginning and adhered to. The installation technicians were very polite and obliging. The owner has now promised to refund the 25$ administrative fee.
- Approximate cost of services:
- $942.00
- Company Response
Hi Cate,
I'm glad to hear that the installation technicians were polite and obliging. We went out of our way to help you since the installing company of your existing tankless was unable to. We did what we could to ensure you received your warranty tankless at the lowest possible cost and in a timely manner, saving you from having to purchase a new unit for $3000+. We have to charge a fee to send a technician to your home to diagnose the issue and charge for his time there. I feel it should be noted that he only charged the basic call out fee, and one hour of labour, although he was there for 2.5 hrs. The technician was required to speak with Rheem to get authorization to warranty your unit. We were also troubleshooting a pressure issue that had caused considerable damage to the existing tankless that the last installation company(s) were unable to properly diagnose and repair. We had to send a truck to pick up your new unit and 2 fully licensed and experienced technicians to your home to install the replacement unit and expansion tank. The discussed fee covered this and additional materials that were required. Once the unit is removed we need to complete the required paperwork and deliver the defective unit to a distributor so it can be returned to the manufacturer. Additionally we have to pay for the unit at full price and await a refund which also requires administration. I apologize I wasn't available to speak with you that afternoon. I was out of the office overseeing different job sites, however my technicians are able to reach me on my personal cell if they need to. Company policy is that we don't start any job without first explaining the costs to the customer and getting their approval. We received approval from you when the technician explained the cost and procedure for the process in a written estimate, which you acknowledged and signed. Let us know if there's anything else we can assist you with in the future.