Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/11/2022

  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.

  Four years ago, we had sewage back up in our basement. I contacted Rabenstein Heating & A/C to install a backflow valve in our pipe to prevent future problems. Six months after paying R********* in full, he finally installed the valve. Once this was installed, we refinished our entire basement- (new drywall, floors, furniture, etc.). This past summer, on June 22, our basement once again flooded with sewage. I called R*********'s to let them know that we got sewage again and that I believed the valve may be faulty. R********* sent 2 workers out to put a camera through the pipe on July 18. These guys came without a camera and told me that it was basically impossible for the valve to fail. After calling back to request a camera, he sent 2 guys out again. This time, they brought the camera and noticed 2 bellies in my pipe, but said nothing was wrong with the valve and told us to contact the Township. The next day, the township came out with their camera and told us that the valve was installed in one of the bellies, meaning that the pipe is constantly filled with water, so the valve floats on top and it is not possible for it to work. I again called R*********, who still denied a valve failure. On August 21, we again got sewage back up (8.5 inches.) This time, resulting in about $20,000 in damage. I again called R********* and requested that he fix the valve. Soon after, R********* agreed to fix my pipe and valve for $1500 to which I agreed. He said that he needed to find an excavator. Since then, I have called him once a week to try and schedule this job. Last week, I sent him the number of an excavator that I found. He has returned my phone calls 3 times (8/30, 9/21 and 10/11.) In the last week, I found someone else who is willing to fix my pipe, so I sent R********* an email requesting my money back ($1800 total). He has shown that he has no interest in fixing the pipe. Today, he told me that he was done with me & taking back his offer to fix the pipe

  Business Response

  Date: 10/18/2022

  This letter is in response to the complaint made by ******* ****** on October 12, 2022.  ******* ****** called R********* Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing Inc. due to issues she was having with sewage/storm water backing up into the basement.  She stated that her and her neighbors were having issues with water coming into the basements in this neighborhood.  It is a known issue in this neighborhood for storm/sewage line problems. ****** went back against the seller of this house for not disclosing this information when she purchased the home. 
  R********* Heating, Air Conditioning, & Plumbing Inc.  installed a backflow preventer valve at the residence of *** ********* **** ************, ** for ******* ******.  There were no issues during the first 3+ years of the installation.  The problem occurred when a storm came through causing flooding and the main sewer lines to back up.  ******* had called after the back up and R*********’s sent techenicians out on 2 separate occasions to camera the lines to see if they could see any issues with the line from the house to the sewage tie in.   There have been occasions where tampons, wet napkins, etc. have been caught in the valves enabling them to work properly.  The techs were not able to see if there was anything blocking the valve due to a belly of water being near the valve.  They found 2 bellies in the line, one being near the house and the other being near the back flow preventer valve. 
  ******* wanted R*********’s to dig it back up and replace the valve.  We explained to her that we only warranty the work for 1 year and that R*********’s no longer does excavation work.  After numerous phone calls from *******, we told her if she paid someone to dig up the lines that we would come and take a look at the back flow preventer.  Backflow devices are recommended by most manufacturers to be maintenaced annually and rebuild or replaced every five years so the valve would not be under the manufacturerer warranty.  R*********’s even offered to help her find someone that does excavation work.  We called several people, not hearing back from any of them.  ******* then called and said she found a company to dig it up.  We spoke to the company two different times to go over this job and coordinate the work. 
  Before the work began ******* called the office and emailed R*********’s about R*********’s paying for it.  As stated before there is a 1 year warranty with the work and we are not going to pay for additional work that we are not sure is even going to resolve the problem.  We offered to look at the valve as a courtesy.  The main sewer lines need to be fixed by the township.  ******* has been to the township and municiple meetings about this Storm water issue.   Attached is a copy of the meeting minutes of the last township meeting that ******* attended about the ongoing Storm water issues.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/18/2022

  ****** ******** *******
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  It was fortunate that the first 3 years after installing the backflow valve that we did not have any giant rainstorms.  Unfortunately, this past summer, we had 2, and I ended up with sewage in my basement both times.  Yes, there is a storm water and sewage issue in my neighborhood.  Four years ago, when I contacted Mr. R*********, he told me that a back flow valve would solve the problem.  He did warn us that objects could potentially get stuck in the valve, which could prevent it from working.  This is why after the first flood, I asked Mr. R********* to come put a camera through the line.  Mr. R********* mentioned in his message that he sent guys out twice. He did not mention that the first time he sent guys out, they showed up without a camera and told my husband that it was impossible for the valve to fail.   After the guys came a second time and found a belly in the pipe, Mr. R********* seemed to lose interest in helping me. The ***** ******** ***** and ***** ********* suggested that Mr. R********* either installed the valve in an already existing belly or caused a belly in the pipe after digging it up.  The BTWSA also said that Mr. R********* never had this job inspected, which is required when digging in the water lines.  Had this been inspected, we may not be in the situation we are in now. When I questioned Mr. R********* about this, he said that if he would have told me about the belly in the pipe, I would have been upset because it would have cost more money to replace the pipe.  He then offered a couple other "band aid" type solutions- for example floor drains (we already have them- the water pressure is too much for them to handle.) He wanted to avoid digging the pipe again- because he no longer does excavation work.  After the second flood, I called Mr. R********* back and requested that he not only fix the valve but replace the pipe.  He agreed to help and charge $1500 for supplies for the new pipe. He said that his buddy is an excavator and would help him with the digging.  I agreed to pay this amount.  After a few weeks, I hadn't heard back from Mr. R*********. When he finally called me back, he asked me if I knew any excavators, because his buddy wasn't responding to his calls anymore.  I did not know of any.  He also did not contact any other excavators.   After I found an excavator and gave his information to Mr. R*********'s secretary, I still didn't hear back from him for over a week.  After talking to the excavator, myself, he said he could just complete the whole job.  This is when I asked Mr. R********* for my money back. Out of rage, Mr. R********* called the excavator and warned him never to do work for me and then continued to speak negatively of me.  I spoke with the excavator after, and Mr. R********* never tried to "coordinate the work."  His sole purpose of contacting him was to slander my name.  The excavator even mentioned how Mr. R*********'s comments about me were unprofessional.  Mr. R********* then called me and told me the list of people responsible for my water issue. One thing in particular that he said was that I needed to go after the developer that built the house and installed a pipe with a belly. Regardless of if the valve has a warranty or not (the valve is probably perfectly fine and would work if it were installed correctly), the fact that he installed a back flow valve in a belly of a pipe means that he did not properly do the job that I paid him for 4 years ago. Also, after all of these months of speaking to Mr. R********* about this issue, he never mentioned a "1 year warranty" until last week.  There was nothing in a contract about a warranty.

  Again, yes there is a big issue with storm water and sewage in my neighborhood, however, if the valve was able to do its job (not float on the top of a pipe filled with water), it should help solve our problem.  We have gone to the ***** ******** meetings and the ***** meetings because there is definitely a bigger issue to be solved.  However, Mr. R********* had no problem collecting $1525 from me 4 years ago when he agreed to install the valve (that he didn't install until 6 months after).  Because he did this job carelessly, and did not get the mandatory inspection, I have over $20,000 in damages and loss in my basement.  I am still requesting a full refund of the $1800 I have paid him in regard to my back flow valve. 

  
  

  
  Regards,
  
  ******* ******