Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/02/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My husband and I would like to file a formal complaint against Arctic Start Windows.
  
  ******* ***** ******** ** ******** *** ******* ***** *** ********* **** *** our doors are still under the workmanship & door warranty *** ****** 
  
  Our back and front entry doors were installed in November of 2022- it was supposed to be earlier but due to delays with the manufacturer shipping the product it was delayed. 
  
  
  
  ********* ** *** ********* ********* *** ********** ***** ******* ** *************** **** ****** ******* ** ******* ******** **** ***** *** ******** ***** ** ***** **** ***** **** *******
  
  ** ************ ***** *******  **** ***** *** ***** ******* ***** **** *** ********* ** ****** *** **** **** ********** *** *********** ******* ********* *** ****** ** **** ************ ********** *** ******** ******* ********* ********* *** *** **** ****** ************* ******* ***** ****** **** ******* **** *** ******* ******* ********* *** ****** *** ********* ** *** *** ***** ******** ****** ******* ******* ** **** ***** **** *** **** * *******  ***** **** 
  
  *******Arctic Star Windows Inc installed several new windows and new out swinging exterior doors for our front & back doors on November 22, 2022. Following installation, we started experiencing issues of which the company was made aware of on December 3, 2022. Gaps where left around the doors, it was noticed that the doors were uneven and that they had put pieces of foam and plastic to reduce the space between weather stripping and the door. Causing the doors to not properly close and then creating a significant amount of condensation and ice to form around the top and bottom inside the doors, due to the cold air meeting the warm air from inside. Alisher ****** was provided with pictures and videos showing this, during our conversations he mentioned his installers usually didn’t install outswing doors but rather inswing. Their installers came back several times as the doors were not sealing properly to do patch jobs, but not to uninstall and reinstall the doors. We expressed that the installers had to make sure the doors were well insulated around and that they sealed properly when closed. This problem gets worse as the weather gets colder leading to the doors constantly sweating, a significant amount of ice forming in the edges to the point where it gets frozen shut. These issues are creating extra condensation, there is constant humidity on the doors when the weather is cold and ice forming on the top and bottom inside the doors leading to the doors getting frozen shut. Having to constantly remove ice is damaging the doors. The company blamed it on high humidity, but we never had this issue with our old doors. We never had ice forming around the top and bottom inside the doors, the doors constantly sweating when the temperatures start getting cold and freezing shut. We tried contacting Alisher via text message January 11, 2024 and also left a voicemail, making him aware that we were having the same issues as before. Our tenants have been experiencing the same issues detailed above as our former tenants following the install. We thought the issue was maybe the doors being outswing so a quote from Alisher was also requested to have them reinstalled inswing but no reply was received. Due to the lack of reply from Arctic Start Windows and the ongoing issues we got various contractors to look at the doors. The feedback has been consistent and the conclusion is that the doors were not measured properly and they were installed incorrectly. Various issues have been brought to our attention: • There is no room between the walls for the doors, there should be room on each side of the doors for casing on the inside but the door frame is pretty much right up to each side of the door, • There is no brick mold (brickmold protects your doorframe, by keeping the plaster around the door from chipping and reinforcing the strength of the frame. This will help your door to stand up to the effects of the weather. It even helps to prevent the frame from rotting) • Likely no spray foam insulation was added around the frame behind the trim (which is usually done by companies when replacing doors), • The doors are not touching the weather-stripping spots, there were spaces left and pieces of foam and other items were added to try to reduce the spacings, there should be tighter margins and the gaps that are currently around the doors should not be there, • The doors are not squared and levelled properly being tight up and loose below, • The doors are slanted, this being significantly noticeable in the front door it's literally on an angle is not plumb (PLUMB is the term used to refer to a perfectly vertical line. -If a door or window is installed out of PLUMB, it will cause a host of issues. Such as: sagging open in the corner, unwanted opening or closing doors, etc.) Alisher was made aware of this information via email on January 22, 2024 and asked to honor the warranty still in effect that came with his product, one that the company has yet to honor and was given alternatives on how to resolve this issue. To which he responded “Sorry for your problems. Give me time until February 8. I need to speak to our installer Petro. He is away from the country right now. I honestly don’t know why its happening to your doors. We installed over 1000 windows and doors in 2023 and yours were the only front door that open outward and not inwards. Maybe that was the problem. Anyways, I need to speak to head installer before I can decide anything about this. Thank you!” We responded and said we expected to hear back on February 9th . However, on Friday January 26th,2024 we were contacted by a customer representative from Arctic Star Windows they wanted to schedule a time for Petro to come look at the doors since the customer rep said he made it back to the country earlier. On Saturday January 28, 2024 at 12:30 pm Petro came to the property. We were under the impression he would be focusing on doing a thorough inspection of both exterior doors in order to provide a solution, but instead he was rude, speaking loudly, saying other contractors knew nothing, denied poor installation and said the doors were plum even though is clearly visible they are not, but then also saying the house shifted with his statements being contradictory. This behavior is consistent with the poor customer service experienced in the past when the issues began and were brought to their attention shortly after installation. As mentioned this has been an ongoing issue from the get go we have the text conversations, pictures and messages that were sent to Alisher making him aware of the issue which started barely a few weeks after installation and mentioning the doors being uneven. For Petro the installer to try to make it seem like somehow the doors shifted and not take accountability its quite unprofessional and unethical. This along with the installer’s behavior experienced on January 28th and that we would be moving forward with filling a complaint and taking further action if necessary, was communicated to Alisher via email on January 29, 2024, to which there was no reply. Due to Arctic Star not providing a proper plan of action and having yet to honor their warranty, we decided to move forward with filing the better business bureau complaint and will be taking further action if not resolved via this method. We were relying on their expertise to provide a quality product, installation and advice as this is a big investment. If they had no experience installing outswing doors they had every opportunity to let us know this was not an option. Mistakes happen but the lack of accountability, poor customer service when it comes to having to address their mistakes, inability to provide a solution *** ***** ********* ** ****** ********* ** ********* *** ***** ******* has been disappointing. The way a company deals with their mistakes it’s very important as customers are trusting that they will do a good job and take accountability if issues were to arise. At this point Arctic Star Inc has had many opportunities to address the issues brought to their attention and provide a solution that actually resolves the issues rather than patching up things and hoping it doesn’t happen again. If the issues arising from their faulty workmanship are not resolved this could lead to other damages to the property due to the extra condensation being created. Based on the treatment we have gotten and the lack of transparency we would like Artic Star to reimburse us in full for amounts paid to them for the doors including applicable taxes (********* ******************** *****) ***** ** ******** ****** **************** so we can have another company provide and install proper doors, or for them to pay in full for the cost of another company selected by us to do this.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 13/02/2024

  
  Arctic Star did indeed install windows and doors for this client and we did properly install her doors and windows and followed all the industry standards for her project.
  The client sent a text message to Alisher ******** personal cell phone while he was abroad and he wasn’t able to receive text messages. The client can contact our customer service at *** *** **** which is readily available on our website. 

  
  Shortly after installing the client’s doors, we received calls and messages with the door frosted around the weather stripping. We scheduled our installer to inspect the reason for the frost. Our installer found out the door weather stripping were all frosted and the front door wasn’t closing properly at all. We replaced all the weather stripping as per the client request at no charge.

  We also noticed the client renovated her home and may have added or renovated a bathroom in the basement with no ventilation in it. Our installer also noticed that the client’s kitchen doesn’t have any ventilation. So all the shower room steam and kitchen cooking steam can't escape anywhere. Before replacing the doors and windows, the client had old windows where all the humidity would escape  easily. After we replaced all her windows, her house became airtight and humidity would not escape at all during cooking or using the shower. As a result of this, we noticed significant amount of ice buildup not only on the doors but on the windows as well. It so happens that the door area is the coldest area in the house. Hence all the humidity accumulates in that area and then freezes when the temperature outside gets cold enough.

  
  Our general manager Alisher ****** was at the client’s house with professional humidity detector and he recorded 45-55% humidity level last year. As per our recommendation on the terms and conditions of the contract that the client signed, it clearly says that it’s recommended to keep humidity levels 30% or lower. Increased humidity levels during colder days will increase significantly the chance of frost buildup on the door. We recommend the client to reduce her humidity level below 20% because she has an outswing door and the weatherstripping is located outside, not inside. That increases the chances of frosting even more.

  
  We would like to address some of the comments the client mentioned about the way we installed her doors.
  1.There is no room between the walls for the doors, there should be room on each
  side of the doors for casing on the inside but the door frame is pretty much right
  up to each side of the door
  Answer: There is enough room. The frosting doesn’t happen in that area described, but the frosting happens around the weatherstripping area where frame touches the slab.

  
  2.There is no brick mold (brickmold protects your doorframe, by keeping the plaster
  around the door from chipping and reinforcing the strength of the frame. This will help your door to stand up to the effects of the weather. It even helps to
  prevent the frame from rotting)
  Answer: There is PVC brickmolding and its made from composite pvc board. We had to trim it down to fit it in properly. Our installer is more than happy to come and show it. Our door frames are made from composite PVC, this material doesn’t rot and weather elements doesn’t have much effect on it.

  
  3.Likely no spray foam insulation was added around the frame behind the trim
  (which is usually done by companies when replacing doors),
  Answer: There is polyurethane FOAM between door frame and the wall. We always insulate between doors and the wall. We are more than happy to come and remove the door casing to show the foam to the client.

  
  4.The doors are not touching the weather-stripping spots, there were spaces left
  and pieces of foam and other items were added to try to reduce the spacings,
  there should be tighter margins and the gaps that are currently around the
  doors should not be there,
  Answer: When we installed the door, the weatherstripping had a proper contact with the frame . Then it froze and frosted. The client called us and we came and completely replaced all the weatherstripping. The client or the client’s representative was present during this procedure last year and our installer showed his work and agreed with client that client was satisfied as to what she wanted and whether we delivered it.

  
  5. The doors are not squared and levelled properly being tight up and loose below
  Answer: The “square” was never mentioned to us but we are more than happy to come and take a look. However, the door is properly leveled. We inspected it numerous times and can come and prove it to the client.
  
  6. The doors are slanted, this being significantly noticeable in the front door it's
  literally on an angle is not plumb (PLUMB is the term used to refer to a
  perfectly vertical line. -If a door or window is installed out of PLUMB, it will
  cause a host of issues. Such as: sagging open in the corner, unwanted
  opening or closing doors, etc.)
  Answer: This was not an issue when we installed the door but we can come and take a look at this and if it requires adjusting or fixing, we will be more than happy to apply the fix. If we find no issues, we will explain to the customer why it’s not an issue.

  
  With all this said, we ask the client to keep her humidity level below 20% in cold days of February and March. Getting a humidifier and installing proper ventilation in the kitchen and shower room is absolutely required to get the humidity to proper levels.
  
  We hope this helps.
  
  Kindly,
  
  Arctic Star Windows Management
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 26/02/2024

   
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: we do not agree with Arctic Star response, ***** ** *** ******** *** *** *** ******** ******** ********* ****** ** ************* **** ******* ****** ******** ******* ** ****** **** ******* *** ******* ******** ******* Arctic Star's exterior door incorrect installs/issues identified and pictures of a properly installed outswing door (not installed by Arctic Star) for comparison purposes.

  Needless to say, this situation has caused us and our tenants a significant amount of stress. Arctic Star Inc has had many opportunities to address the issues brought to their attention and provide a solution that actually resolves the issues rather than patching up things and hoping it doesn’t happen again. We were relying on their expertise to provide a quality product, installation and advice as this is a big investment. If they had no experience installing outswing doors they had every opportunity to let us know but this did not take place. Mistakes happen, but the lack of accountability, poor customer service when it comes to having to address their mistakes and inability to provide a solution has been disappointing. The way a company deals with their mistakes is very important as customers are trusting that they will do a good job and take accountability if issues were to arise.

  We want Artic Star to reimburse us in full for amounts paid to them for the doors including applicable taxes ($******** ******************** *****) so we can have another company provide and install proper doors, or for them to pay in full for the cost of another company selected by us to do this work, in order to avoid going through a situation similar to this. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  Marisol *** *****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/03/2024

  The pictures ******** ** **** * ** *** *** ****** are old pictures from November 2022 and do not show current state of the doors. After those pictures we changed the rubber seals and the doors were closing and opening fine. The frost initially happened because of very high humidity in the home of the client. The condensation from the door slab dripped on the rubber seals and the rubber seal froze and made it very hard for the door to close. After the door didn't close properly, it created more draft and frost kept building up. To fix this problem, we offered to replace the rubber seal at no cost and the client agreed. Our installer put in thicker rubber seals next time to avoid frost. This made the door handle and the locks look closer to the jamb.

  ** **** ** ******** ** the client mentions the door trim are wider on the top and narrower on the bottom and claims that the door is 'slanted and not plumb". In fact, this door is straight and not slanted, its 90 degrees or close to that, perpendicular. If the client puts a level on the door and check it out, she will understand that the door is not tilted, although it may look like it is. The wider brickmold can be easily cut and made level with the wall by us if that is what the customer wants.

  The issue with pre-existing door frame (client means the existing jamb on the wall) is not flush with the door installed, did not cause the initial frost around the rubber seals. If the client wants, we can put a new trimboard and make it flush with the door frame. There is foam insulation between door and the door frame. Sometimes it just gets very cold in Winnipeg and the door gets cold. If the house is humid enough, you will get condensation built up.

  *** ******* *** ****** ******** ** ** ********* out-swing door looks good. We have a lot of such doors. The door installed here is for the wall 2 x 6" with jamb size 4 5/8" or 6 5/8". The client's wall is at least 12" thick. So we had to put some trimboard to make the door connect to existing jamb.

  We understand that our answers will not satisfy Ms. ******  And our customer's satisfaction is important for us and with that said we will reimburse Ms. ***** for the full amount of the doors plus GST, provided that the originally installed doors will be returned to us unbroken and unscratched.  After that we will issue a refund.

  Sincerely,

  Arctic Star Windows

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/03/2024

   
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Arctic has asked for the doors to be "returned to their company unbroken & unscratched" as a condition for us to be reimbursed, we do not think this is reasonable based on reasons outlined below. If they are acting in good faith and not trying to be difficult ** **************** we propose the below:
  
  If Arctic wants their doors back we have absolutely no problem with them taking the doors back. However, it’s only fair for Arctic to do the uninstall and removal of the doors themselves at their own risk, and to work positively and be willing to coordinate with the company that will be installing the new exterior doors.
  
  We do not think it's fair to place the burden on another company when it was Arctic who installed the doors. Also, this is a very general request (i.e. are they just talking about getting back the doors off the hinges solely, or the full casing with the doors, etc.). Depending on how they were installed they may be difficult to remove in one piece with casing. This request to an extent comes across as double sided since it also opens the possibility for Arctic to argue that the doors were scratched & broken from removal instead of due to pre-existing wear and tear or damage due to the issues caused from Arctic’s poor installation (as previously detailed in this complaint from significant ice forming and constantly having to be removed) and therefore try to deny us any reimbursement.
  
  We are willing to have Arctic reduce the amount they are to reimburse us for the cost of them uninstalling and removing the doors as long as this amount is reasonable and we agree on it in advance.
  
  It is also not fair that reimbursement for work that will have to be COMPLETELY REDONE AGAIN should ride in a condition. If Arctic's concern is that we actually replace the doors and Arctic is acting in good faith our proposed course of action above should address this.
  
  We also request that Arctic provide us with 70% of the reimbursement totaling $******** ********** full amount paid for the doors + GST (******************* ***** * ***)) as soon as possible and as a sign of good faith. This will help with setting up the new door install, as it might take a few weeks before we can get the new doors in and Arctic can get theirs back. Then for Arctic to reimburse us the remaining balance totaling $******** ******************) once Arctic uninstalls and takes their doors back, providing them with assurance that the doors were in fact replaced.
  
  As previously stated this situation has caused us and our tenants a significant amount of stress. It has also required a lot of our time all of which could’ve been avoided if a proper install would’ve been completed from the get go. As such we ask from Arctic that if indeed they are honestly acting in good faith not to draw this out any longer nor provide unrealistic and unfair conditions following their poor workmanship.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Marisol *** *****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/03/2024

  Hello,

  The client has to let us know 2 weeks in advance of when her new doors will be installed so we can arrange our team to come over and uninstall the doors.

  Regarding reimbursing immediately, we reject this offer. We already accept Ms. ***** complaint to refund the full amount and we will do so after the doors are returned to us.

  We find it unreasonable for the client to use our product for 1.5 years and then to ask for a full refund without actually returning the products. *** ** ** **** ************ ** *** ********* **** * **** *** ** **** ** **** **** ***** *** ***** *** *** *** * *** ****** ******* ******** ******** **** **** *** **********

  Ms. ***** needs to call our office at *** *** **** or email us at ********************* regarding the date and time of her door installation so we can send our team to uninstall our doors.

  Thank you