West Chester Heating & Cooling Contractors West Chester, PA

HVAC unit fails without warning signs, refund granted

COMPLAINT: Behzad Torabi, Radnor, Pa.

"I hired Oliver Heating Cooling & Plumbing of Morton [Pa.] for a routine checkup of my A/C units. The technician said the pressure was off but he wasn't sure what the problem was. He didn't replace any filters or add gas, but charged $340 for checking the units.

"That night, one the units failed. I called Oliver, and they fixed the problem at no charge. Three days later, another unit failed due to an electrical problem. They sent someone again to fix it and charged me $740. Since the technician examined it five days earlier, I don't see how he missed this huge failure."

DESIRED RESOLUTION: "I want a refund for the $340 checkup."

COMPANY RESPONSE: William S. McVean, residential service manager, Oliver Heating Cooling & Plumbing

"During our inspections, we do take voltage and amp readings. At the time of your inspection, there were no indications that your capacitor was going to fail. Like many parts on an air conditioning unit, capacitors can fail without any warning signs.

"With the timeline of events, I can understand your concern on the quality of the work. I agree to your request for a $340 refund. I will also leave your Energy Saver agreement in place, giving you priority scheduling and a 10 percent discount on any service calls you may have for the rest of the year."