Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/18/2024

  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.

  On 11-21-24 they installed a very expensive and defective water heater that appears to have been dropped and is bent at the bottom. It has already gone out twice, once requiring ********** is a State direct vent 40 gal and a tree was destroyed on that date by their truck. The rim joist was cut a lot and the installers left with cold air coming in. It was installed on the floor with no pan under it. No wall plate was installed. A check for the full amount was issued and a stop payment was placed on 12-16-24 and the business informed. Pilot went out on ***** and again on ***** with an alarm.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/07/2025

  Good Morning,
  
  LGS Plumbing was dispatched for a water heater replacement.  We arrived at the customers home to replace a ********* water heater.  This customer received a verbal quote of $2,850.00 to remove the old water heater, install a new 40-gallon Gravity Vent Water heater (which is not a standard stock water heater), and disposal of the old water heater.  My technicians followed all standard procedures and were very kind and courteous. There was a small dent on the bottom cover of the water heater that my technicians took pictures of.  Before installation of this water heater, my technicians showed the homeowner the small dent and offered to exchange it.  The homeowner said it was okay to proceed with the installation.  After my technicians completed the work he began complaining that his bill was too high, even though he agreed to the quoted price before installation. 
  
  LGS Plumbing installed the water heater on 11/21/24.   We received a call from the homeowner on 12/13/24 (3 weeks after installation) stating his water heater was not staying lit and that it has not worked properly since the day of installation.   He also said the bottom of the water was pushed in, which is the small dent that the technicians showed him prior to installation.  LGS Plumbing returned that same day to diagnose the water heater not staying lit, but found the water heater was working properly.  The homeowner called again and stated he put a stop payment on the check he sent because he was not happy with the work performed.  On 12/18/24 he filed a complaint on BBB.  We asked the homeowner to send us pictures of the area that was pushed in and the dent was actually worse than the pictures my technicians took at time of installation showed.  I noticed from the homeowners pictures that the bottom of the water heater had shims pushed underneath the water heater in the same spot where the dent was located.  Those shims were not placed there by LGS Plumbing at the time of installation, nor were they there when we returned on 12/13/24.  
  
  The homeowner signed the service ticket from my technicians and did not say anything about any concerns at the point of installation.  The homeowner contacted the manufacturer demanding a full replacement, but the manufacturer will only cover the cost of a replacement water heater, not the cost for the labor to replace this water heater.  LGS Plumbing has been trying to resolve this situation as quickly and professional as possible.  At this point, the water heater is operational, but he is apparently upset over the small cosmetic dent that he had the opportunity to reject at the point of installation, but he chose not to.  This complaint is very unjustified and disappointing.  
  
  Thank you for your time. 
  
  Respectfully,
  **** *****
  
  **** ***** Vice President
  LGS Plumbing, Inc.
  ********************************************
  ************** / ************** Fax
  ******************************
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/14/2025

   I am rejecting this response because:
  

  There is one misleading point.  I have no objection to the cost.  I thought I was getting the best heater on the market and professional installation.  The water from the heater stinks to high heaven.    

  There are also a couple misleading statements including a gross inaccuracy.  No shims were pushed in under the heater.  These were mere markers so it could be seen how distorted the bottom of the water heater is.   They are merely measuring devices  to see that the water heater was apparently dropped from a significant height.  I don't know how these are made and am no professional but it obviously took an extreme fall to cause so large a dent.  I am concerned that the exhaust system could become detached from heating and cooling and cause carbon monoxide to leak into my house.   

  I understand the business was probably not aware of this when it was installed and am willing to work with them to a mutually acceptable resolution.   The workmen were indeed courteous and professional but they did not offer to replace it.  One said they are difficult to gat and they are all dented like the small dent i could see on the outside.  This was a large dent but obviously it was cosmetic so I did not ask for a replacement.  Only after it started acting up did I even see the bottom was badly dented.  

  Since the manufacturer is willing to replace the defective tank I believe a mutually acceptable solution ca be easily reached.   I do want to get this debt paid and i want a functioning water eater.   

   

  ***

  
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/15/2025

  My technicians showed you the dent before the water heater was installed. This was verified by both of my technicians who were on site.  You said it was ok to proceed with installation.  This water heater was installed per the manufacturers installation guidelines and was functioning properly when my technicians left the residence.  You signed the Service Ticket.  LGS Plumbing received a phone call that the heater was not functioning 3 weeks after the installation was completed.  When our technician arrived on site, he noticed the temperature setting had been moved because it was not on the setting we left it at the day of installation. Our technicians always set the temperature to a certain setting upon installation of all water heaters.  Since that day, we have not received a phone call stating this water heater is not working.   This is the very first time I have heard that you are not satisfied because the water from the heater stinks to high heaven.  This is interesting because my technician does not recall any foul odor to the water when he returned 3 weeks later.    There is no logical reason to place shims under a water heater and they surely are not an adequate measuring device. 
  
  I appreciate your kind remarks regarding my technicians.  LGS Plumbing holds our technicians to a very high standard and is very proud of their courteous and professional work ethic.  LGS Plumbing has been in business for over 40 years and has an extensive satisfied customer base, which we are very proud of.  The manufacturer has agreed to replace your water heater due to the dent, but will only agree to compensate LGS Plumbing $100.00 to remove and replace your existing water heater.  If you wish to proceed with the warranty replacement, you will be responsible for our labor, minus the $100.00 the manufacturer has agreed to pay.  Please let us know how you wish to proceed.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/22/2025

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Your technicians are professional but not perfect.   They apparently did not notice the water heater had been dropped.  This is not readily visible because the damage is on the bottom out of sight but the bends in the side might have alerted them to the problem.   

  I asked for a good water heater just to stop the problems I now have.  It is not only unreliable but it is even a danger to leaking carbon monoxide.   The water stinks though apparently this might be wholly unrelated to the waterheater and its installation.   Along with all the other issues it sitting on the floor is problematical for me.  I had hoped the old pedestal would not need to be removed and didn't realize the new one might end up sitting on the floor making it extremely difficult for me to perform basic maintenance such as draining it periodically.  

  Because the installers were the professionals I would propose that a new water heater of the same type be installed as per State Water Heaters that is not damaged and is reliable.   I further propose it is installed on a low pedestal of my own construction and that it has a type KA-90 anode rod.   For these considerations I am willing to contribute another $300 plus any cost for replacing the rod as necessary.  This is a TOTAL of $3150 all in and in satisfaction of any debt that might be considered from the service call.  

  I fully understand the *** is not solely responsible for this headache and should not be responsible for the entire cost which might yet be extreme because the water stinks.