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Business Profile

Mechanical Contractors

Cowles and Co. Contracting

Complaints

Customer Complaints Summary

  • 1 complaint in the last 3 years.
  • 0 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

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  • Initial Complaint

    Date:09/25/2023

    Type:Product 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.
    I had a ***** ***** boiler installed by this company thru the nyserda/******* program. I have had nothing but issues with this boiler not heating my home. I have had this company to my home multiple times. Nyserda recommended that I have another contractor look at this boiler and this company pointed out to me that Cowles broke an important piece off of my boiler which allowed fire to shoot out and melt pieces of the boiler and melt the inside cover off the boiler. They have seen this damage and never repaired it nor told my family. They put my family at risk for dying I a fire. I have four children in my home . My boiler has now been red tagged as not safe to use. I have no hot water and am going into winter with non heat. I am still paying for this boiler.

    Business Response

    Date: 09/26/2023

    We installed a ***** ********* Combination Boiler, M** *** **** *, in January 2019 through the Assisted Home Performance Program which NYSERDA paid $5000.00 of the installation.  The first service call we received was on 12/19/19 for the boiler not working, we found that one of the children put snow in the vent pipe outside.  This prevented air flow to the boiler resulting in no heat.  There was no charge for this service call.  The next service call we received was on 11/23/20.  The complaint was that the boiler wasn't keeping the house warm.  We found the boiler running and up to temperature, however we also found that the bedroom at the front of the house had been gutted, including the complete removal of the dense packed cellulose we installed as part of the ******* program paid for by NYSERDA.  There was no charge for this service call as well.  On 11/30/20 we got a no domestic hot water call, we found that the water temperature sensor needed to be replaced, we replaced it, the part was under warranty, we charged for labor. The manufacture's warranty does not include labor.  On 10/31/22 we got a call for no heat, we found that the Hot Surface Ignitor needed to be replaced, we replaced it, the part was under warranty, we charged for labor.  On 11/1/22 we got a no heat call, we found that the programmable thermostat was bad, we replaced it and billed for labor and materials.  Only two of the service calls had to do with the boiler itself, which were the two sensors.  We have had no other service calls from the homeowner about the boiler not working.  The boiler had no damage when we were last there.  I am attaching the pictures the homeowner sent to NYSERDA.  In the first one with the wires aren't burnt which she claims they were.  In the second one you can see that there is melting damage from heat, so the boiler did get hot and the third one shows damage to two of the wiring covers from heat.  We have no idea what caused this issue.  We have made arrangements with our local dealer to have the ***** representative look at the boiler.  Just now we have these arrangements in place, the date is 10/4/2023, at 12:00pm.  We have made every effort to accommodate this customer's needs without success. 

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