Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/02/2025

  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.

  In February 2021, I paid Wilcox Energy $1,934 (net after a $750 energy credit from **********) to install an ** ***** 50-gallon hybrid-electric water heater. It failed to operate in the Hybrid Mode sometime during the winter of 2024/2025. ** ***** provided a free replacement water heater in July 2024, but Wilcox Energy charged me $848 to replace the heater. This second (replacement) water heater failed in October 2024. Like the first, the replacement heater does not operate in the Hybrid Mode, only in the (fully) Electric Mode, eliminating any savings in energy usage or operating cost. Onsite repair of the refrigerant system in not possible.
  After the second failure, I contacted ** *****'s Technical Support Department myself to discuss the two failures and possible causes. They asked two questions: (1) Did Wilcox install a water expansion tank?, and (2) What was the domestic water pressure? An expansion tank of the proper size was installed, but had also failed during the time the original heater was installed. It was replaced (at my added cost) when the second (replacement) heater was installed in July. I personally measured my incoming city water pressure as 86 psi. Tech Support told me that their hybrid-electric water heaters were very sensitive to water pressure and at pressures above 70 psi would result in failure. Step 1 of the Installation procedure recommends checking the water pressure and installing a pressure reducing valve set between 50-60 psi. (See Attachment.) This was not done prior to either the first or second installations.
  To date, Wilcox has only refunded the $848 labor and installation parts charge to install the replacement heater in July. I feel Wilcox is directly responsible for both heater failures because they did not follow the manufacturer's recommended installation instruction and install a pressure reducing valve. As a result, I feel I am entitled to a refund of the $1,934 Wilcox charged to install the original heater.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/02/2025

  The first water heater failed during last winter, the Winter of 2023/2024, and not this Winter, the winter of 2024/2025 as incorrectly stated in my complaint.  The replacement was installed at the end of July 2024 and failed less than 3-months later. **

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/03/2025

  
  Wilcox
  Energy installed an ** ***** heat pump water heater for *** ****** February 16,
  2021 per the request of the customer.  We
  typically do not install heat pump water heaters because of issues we have had
  in the past. The customer paid $1,934 for this installation.
  
  In
  July of 2024, we replaced the original ** ***** water heater due to faulty
  issues with the compressor.  The customer
  was given a new water heater by the manufacturer which we installed.  We charged the customer for the installation
  as it was beyond our labor warranty timeframe. 
  The total we charged was $848.68. 
  This charge included replacement of the expansion tank *** ****** has
  referred to. We immediately credited *** ****** $433.91 which was the cost of
  the expansion tank along with 2 hours of labor – resulting in a net charge of $414.77
  for the 2nd ** ***** heat pump installation.
  
  The
  replacement water heater failed in October 2024.  Because the customer opted not to have
  another ** ***** Water Heater installed, ** ***** send the customer a check for
  $950 to put towards a new installation.  
  In December of 2024, we sent the customer a check for $848.68 which was
  the total what we had originally charged him BEFORE we credited $433.91.
  
  The
  total that the customer has received back from Wilcox Energy and ** ***** is
  $2,232.59 – which exceeds the cost of the original installation.
  
  In
  regards to *** ******’s claim that the sole failure of the water heater was due
  to the water pressure cannot be confirmed. 
  There have been numerous incidences of failures with these ** ***** Heat
  Pump water heaters including in homes with well water where the water pressure
  was below the recommended pressure.
  
  
  At
  this point, we feel that we have been fair with the amount that we have
  credited back to ** ****** for the faulty equipment installed in his home.   
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/06/2025

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

  1.  I was never advised in February 2021 that Wilcox Energy did not recommend installing a hybrid-electric water heater.  In fact, I discussed with them the options of replacing the existing oil-fired water heater with a similar oil-fired heater, a propane heater, and a hybrid electric heater.  I was told by their sales department that I had to upgrade my propane gas line to install a propane heater, and the cost of installing a replacement oil-fired heater was considerably more than installing a hybrid-electric heater.  Based on reviews and efficiency ratings, I requested a ***** brand hybrid-electric heater be installed, but was told that they could only obtain (and install) an ** ***** hybrid-electric heater from their supplier. 

  2.  The $950 refund offer from ** ***** was contingent on me replacing their heater with a competitor's hybrid-electric heater and that offer expired on January 5, 2025.  I requested a quote from Wilcox Energy to install a ***** hybrid-electric heater and they responded in late December with a quote for over $3,000.  This quote did not included any credit for the July work, or any heater discount for their failure to install both (failed) ** ***** heaters per the manufacturer's recommendations.

  3. The original $1,900+ cost for installing the original ** ***** heater in 2021 was net after a one-time ********** power rebate of $750 that I never saw.  It was either paid to directly to Wilcox Energy, or their supplier. I am not eligible for another rebate from ********** for a replacement hybrid-electric heater.  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** ******

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/13/2025

  In February 2021, our supplier only carried the ** ***** heat pump water heaters.  The customer made his decision to purchase the heat pump as opposed to the oil-fired water heater based on price, and his personal research. Our salesman presented options and the customer chose to move forward with the heat pump option. 
  
  We told the customer that if he wanted to purchase a new ***** tank himself, we would install it for him or he can get a complete system price from us as well. He had opted to have us give him a complete system price which was provided before the January 5th deadline. The credit would have been taken off the bill if he had agreed to move forward.
  
  Once again, it can’t be determined
  that the sole issue was water pressure. When we contacted ** ***** tech support
  on the first breakdown, their tech support representative never suggested
  anything in regards to the water pressure. Had *** ***** tech support suggested
  that a water pressure issue may have caused the failure of the heat pump we
  would have addressed this prior to installing the 2nd heat pump
  water heater.
  
  The rebate was taken off the price for the original installation. The rebate goes to the contractor and we take that rebate directly off the cost of the install.  
  To take care of the customer at this time we can offer two
  options.
  Install an ** ***** water heater under warranty at no charge, once the homeowner has a pressure reducing valve installed by a plumber.
  The customer may purchase a ***** hybrid water heater which we will install for him once a pressure reducing valve is installed by a plumber.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/15/2025

  
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  
  Since I did not receive what I paid for from Wilcox Energy, a working hybrid-electric water heater with a 10-year manufacturer's warranty, I am again rejecting this response.  I should not be the one to suffer the financial loss and added expense of a third replacement if there is still a question if the two heater failures are the fault of the manufacturer due to the design (** *****), or the installer who didn't follow the manufacturer's installation instructions (Wilcox Energy).  This is a matter that should have been resolved between those two parties involved, and should not have involved me, the customer. My complaint is with Wilcox Energy who supplied the two failed water heaters and improperly installed both of them.  I have been a dedicated customer of Wilcox for over 10 years and this is my first complaint.  If this is how Wilcox treat a long-term customer, then I'm done trying to reach an equable, mutually-agreed settlement. I will now be proceeding to file my complaint with ** ******** ********** with copy to the ** ******** ******* for review.  Hopefully, they will be more helpful that the ** *** has been resolving this issue.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** ******