Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:16/12/2024

  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.

  We contracted Tennant Insulation in June 2020, who subcontracted ************* to blow cellulose insulation in the ceiling space under the flat roof. In mid 2024, we noticed a musty smell, mould stains and cracks in upstairs ceilings. We inserted an endoscopic camera in the ceiling and found insulation was black and wet; packed to the roof, blocking all air circulation. We called ***** Tennant who came with subcontractor Art ****** on October 24. They saw the two roof vents were packed to the top with wet insulation, blocking airflow. They both admitted this was a serious problem. Tennant also saw the soffits upstairs full of insulation; condensation damage on the ceiling; rusted light fixtures; and wet insulation inside the ceiling. He said the damage was caused by the subcontractor, so we should contact him to resolve the problem. But we did not contact ****** because we were advised to deal directly with Tennant who was responsible for our contract. On November 1, Tennant Insulation said to contact our home insurance, who would contact the insurance companies for Tennant and/or MacKay for compensation. On November 4, we filed a claim with our insurance company.The insurance company sent a PuroClean inspector on November 5. That report found condensation damage caused by too much insulation. Thermal imaging photos showed high moisture in the ceiling above all rooms upstairs. PuroClean estimated $35,000 to remediate damage.Based on the PuroClean report, the insurance adjuster concluded the damage was from condensation caused by overfilled insulation and lack of air flow. Our home insurance policy does not cover damage caused by faulty workmanship.We conveyed this report to Tennant Insulation who has refused to take any action directly or through ******, despite previously admitting that the insulation was overfilled and condensation caused the damage. We have had no other work done on the house since the insulation was installed that would cause condensation.

  Business Response

  Date: 21/12/2024

  To whom it may concern,

  We were approached to provide a proposal for upgrading the insulation in the basement of *****************************. During the initial assessment, we met with Mr. ********* wife, who expressed interest in adding insulation to the attic as well. Upon evaluation, it was determined that dense packing would be required. As this is not a service we provide, we recommended ****** and Son's, a reputable company recognized for their expertise in the industry.

  
  Subsequently, Mr. ********* wife met with Art, the owner of ********************'s. After a thorough explanation of the procedure, they decided to proceed with the attic insulation under MacKay and Sons direction. The insulation work for both the basement and attic was completed in June 2020 (Tennant Insulation -basement & MacKay & Sons -attic). At that time, Mr. ********* wife specifically requested that we consolidate the charges into a single invoice for her conveniencea request we regret accommodating in hindsight.

  
  During the October 24 meeting, **** **** of ************** M Wood disclosed to ***** Tennant of Tennant Insulation Inc. that shortly before the attic insulation was installed, he added an exhaust fan for the bathroom renovation he was handling and connected it to the plumbing stack for ventilation. This practice is NOT to code and will lead to moisture buildup in the attic space, wetting the insulation and causing related issues and therefore putting doubt in this situation that it's 'too much insulation' solely causing the issue. It is noteworthy that this critical detail was omitted from **** ***** report.  

  Missing attachments:

  1) where is the roof report?
  2) the estimate from Puroclean is attached but where is the report stating that it was insulation is the sole problem here?

  To clarify: we did not complete the attic work, nor did we subcontract anyone for it. We merely provided a referral and issued a consolidated invoice at the homeowner's request.

  We have consistently maintained professionalism and attentiveness in addressing the numerous accusatory and demanding emails from Mr. ******* and his wife. However, this behavior is now approaching the threshold of harassment. Should it persist, we will have no choice but to pursue legal action.

  Kind regards,

  ***** Tennant

  Tennant ***************

   

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 30/12/2024

  Complaint: 22692907
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The reply received from ***** Tennant contained factual errors.

  **** ***** did not connect a bathroom fan to the plumbing stack, nor did he tell ***** Tennant that he had done so. Both bathroom fans vent directly outside through a dedicated vents as shown in attached photos. Thus that did not contribute to moisture in the insulation as suggested by Tennant.

  The roof report was not originally attached to meet BBB file size requirements. It is now attached. However ***** also conducted his own inspection of the roof on November 24 that included a videocall with his roofing specialist who confirmed that the roof was not leaking.

  Puroclean specializes in water damage. The attached Puroclean report cited improper air circulation in attic due to too much insulation as the sole cause of the problem.

  Another company specializing in water damage, **************,inspected our home on December 17 and did not find any possible source of condensation other than the over-filled insulation. So three independent specialists have come to the same conclusion: condensation caused by over-filled insulation and lack of air flow.

  In legal terms, if a contractor pays another company for a service, it is deemed a sub-contract for which the contractor holds responsibility.Based on this and advice we received from the insurance company and damage assessors,we are seeking support from Tennant Insulation to work with MacKay & Sons to resolve this serious and costly problem.

  Sincerely,
  ***** Dumelie