All I wanted was a a/c tune-up (25.00), air duct cleaning (25.00) and dryer vent cleaning (19.00). That was the price their flyer ad. Had listed. My a/c was running too long before shuting off so I figured a tune-up would help.
Was expecting a bill for less then 100.00 instead got one for 600.00. A/C rep. Right away, upon arrival kept insisting that I needed a new a/c unit and that they had very affordable fin. Terms.
Said no way I could afford it now. Then he goes up on my roof (my unit is on top of roof) and told me my coils are clogged and full of mold and mildew. I go up on roof to look at unit but really can't tell what he is saying is really true.
I really don't see evident signs of mold or mildew and coils are black in color so really can't tell if they are dirty or clogged. He said 300.00 to clean coils. I told him that I had the coils cleaned a year ago for 240.00. He said he would also give me a 3yr. Service agreement that sells for 360.00 at no charge.
Now I realized all he was doing was ripping me off by charging me for a coil cleaning that I did not need and signing me up for a service contract I don't need or want. When I called the a/c rep that cleaned my coils last year he told me that a coil cleaning should last a good 5 or 6 years. Plus when he cleaned my coils there was plenty of evidence of dirty water on my roof and in my drain pipe water (I always collect drain water in a bucket for my plants) that water was very dirty.
Not so with this cleaning. Water on roof and in my drain bucket were crystal clear. I saved the water as proof for my case I filed on them. Then when he looked up in my air return inside the house he said it also was full of mold and mildew and very dirty. Well again not knowing any better I believed him since it does look very ugly and dirty.
He asked me and my roommate to step outside for 5mins while he sprayed a organic sanitizer into air return. My roommate refused to step outside and I as well. He specifically referred to the spray as a organic sinitizer not as a micro-ban mold and mildew spray. According to their ad organic deodorizer is free with duct cleaning. But I was charged 125.00 for that spray. Rip-off - Had another a/c company come out to check their work and he said he saw no signs of mold or mildew in my ductwork, return or supply lines.
Black surface on return is the color of figerglass surface not mold or mildew or dirt. House built in 1973 so figerglass looks dirty but it is ok. This a/c rep. Also told me a coil cleaning should also last a good 4 or 5 yrs. Then he sells me on a gold filter for 135.00 and asked me for my old filter to write down the size.
Filters are customed made and contract states you can't cancel them once orderd. Well he writes down 173/4by23by1 & my filter size is 171/2by231/2by1.in two weeks I received the wrong size filter and call company to advise of error and not to bother sending out a replacement since I already bought another one. Manager said no cancelation is possible even thou they custom made me the wrong size filter. Manager and a/c rep both failed to call me back to try and resolve these problems.
I also was charged 40.00 for the dust he sucked out of two ducts. I have 6 air ducts and he only did two. I asked him to show me how much dust he sucked out since I saw nothing going threw vac clear tubing. Not possible he said since the job he just came from right down the street from me was also in vac and that their ducts were very dirty. I would of gladly thrown out my own dust for free in my garbage instead of paying him 40.00 dollars to do so. Total—Total RIP_OFF I really feel they took advantage of my lack of knowledge and with their high drama and scare tactic took me and my much needed money for a ride.
Since my original problem of my a/c running too long is still not cleared up after paying 600.00 days later I call for a free FPL home energy survey to see why my a/c is not running efficiently. Bingo & for free I find out I have a loose duct that is allowing a/c air to go into attic and that I also need more insulation in attic. Had duct fixed already and big differrence in a/c performance and insulation is next. Had I called FPL first I could of saved myself 600.00
0 comments