This is the story of a very unhappy customer who got ripped off by Sigma Water Systems, who are based in Gilbert, Arizona.
Why would we share this with anybody who happens to stumble across it? Well, because $4500 is a great deal of money to spend on a water conditioning product that fails, but even worse when the Company doesn't stand behind it.
Back in May 1999, we purchased a Sigma Total Home Conditioning System. The following March we also purchased the Sigma Ionic Purifier for our new pool system, both from Sigma Water Systems.
Both products totaled a whopping $4500, but we were assured, of course, by the Sigma Rep., that these were the best in the business and the warranty looked good on paper as well.
Upon playing catch-up with the to-do list around the house in late we had been noticing how the pool ionizer seemed to lose its effectiveness along with some rust issues in the pool, water leveler not consistent (though not a Sigma product) so we figured a service call might be in order knowing full well the Sigma system has a five year warranty.
The Rep. Came out in March and upon a routine examination of the home conditioner, asked why it was in bypass mode?
We had no idea, so the Rep. Reset it into normal mode, and I put in a call to our former landscaper, who hadn't been on the premisies since late 2002. After a day or two with it in line again, we quickly learned why it had been bypassed well over a year earlier. It was leaking HEAVILY and consistently near the base of the unit. When our landscaper got back to us about two months later he confirmed that it was leaking so badly, he bypassed it back in early 2002. He apologized and was adamant about thinking he'd notified us of the problem.
For the record and quite frankly, we noticed no difference with or without it in operation, so we had no idea it was set to full bypass.
But one must wonder the value of this money spent and might attempt to not let ALL go to waste, so we attempted to contact Sigma again (first with a wrong, old number) and received a return call in September which, flat out, accused us (or the landscaper) of probably causing the problem.
We were told ALL of the following:
1. You probably dropped it.
(Seriously, that's what he said. This one's especially good because I always move around and drop heavy $3500 water conditioners hell I even bang on em with a hammer when I'm bored!). For the record, the unit sat EXACTLY where they installed it, for it's short life.
2. The time it sat in bypass mode might have ruined it. (I got news for you. If you're in the water conditioner business, you need to design a product which can not only handle water flowing through it, but also dry time, especially when it's installed in snowy and cold Phoenix, Arizona!)
3. Oh, sorry NOW the 5 year portion of the warranty has expired. (Well, well THE PIECE OF CRAP BROKE ALMOST THREE YEARS BEFORE THE WARRANTY WAS UP!
They actually offerred to send out a rep. To assess for $69.00, and determine how much it would cost us to fix it.
Let me think about that one OK... NO CHANCE.
To NOT stand behind your product at that point is beyond reason, and inexcusable.
And that is why you've read this
As a warning to NOT do business with Sigma Water Systems.
We're certain there are much more cost effective options out there for the price, so buy one at Costco if you can they have a return policy like a reliable and professional business should NO QUESTIONS ASKED if the product fails for ANY reason!
A water conditioner is one of those products you should not have to service much or pay attention to, especially the ones that cost $3500!
Oh and P.S.!
The Sigma swimming pool system was never fixed either. They wanted way too much money to fix a cheap worn element, which makes the system work, so we're abandoning that system as well!
On a happy note from the to-do list, the Company responsible for the pool water leveling device was contacted came out and replaced the leveler FREE OF CHARGE, although it was four months out of warranty. Deterioration had been caused by, of all things in a system with a $3500 water conditioner corrosion!
0 comments