We use cookies to give users the best content and online experience. By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to allow us to use all cookies. Visit our Privacy Policy to learn more.

Manage Cookies
Resources for Businesses My BBB
Share
Business Profile

Heating and Air Conditioning

Cliff Bergin & Associates, Inc.
BBB accredited business seal
BBB Accredited BusinessA+Rated by BBB

Complaints

Customer Complaints Summary

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

If you've experienced an issue

Submit a Complaint

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.

Sort by

Complaint status

Complaint type

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:11/14/2024

    Type:Service or Repair Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    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.
    This business went to my property to check a furnace. they gave a report by tech ******, F: "Checked furnace for high levels of ** after furnace was shut off by WE energies. Furnace has bad primary and secondary heat exchangers. ******* is off and should be replaced or repaired by a professional heating company. Blocking a few vents will not affect the furnace. See attachment for numbers and visual of unit."The sentence 'Blocking a few vents will not affect the furnace.' in the report was an irrelevant statement, and very unprofessional. It was wrong completely. If the furnace has just a few vents, blocking 'a few vents' definitely will destroy the furnace. This report is misleading and wrong. I really would like to know if he is a certified HVAC professional.

    Customer Answer

    Date: 11/14/2024

    I called the business on 11/4/2024 and told about the statement 'Blocking a few vents will not affect the furnace.'. One of their techs told me other cause of the furnace's failure, and refuse to **** about this . 

    Business Response

    Date: 11/21/2024

    Mr. ****, 

    The statement on the invoice "Blocking a few vents will not affect the furnace" is accurate. Closing several registers / vents will NOT affect the combustion operation of the furnace.  Indoor air does not affect the combustion cycle of the furnace.  The Carrier furnace is sealed combustion, which means it uses outside air (not inside air) for combustion.  After the furnace was inspected by our technician, it was determined that the high levels of carbon monoxide were caused by the failure of the heat exchangers.  Also note that our technician is **** certified and has 25+ years of experience working on Carrier and other furnaces. 

    Customer Answer

    Date: 11/21/2024

    Better Business Bureau:

    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.

    I read the Carrier Furnace trouble shoot website. 

    ***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

    Under the topic : Gas Furnace Turns Off and On Constantly, 3 Check to ensure ROOM air vents are open and objects are not covering them. If airflow is restricted, your heat exchanger may not be getting enough air, causing your system to turn on and off more often, a situation called short cycling.

    We all knew that Short cycling can cause major repairs or even burn out the unit. Please reconsider your answer again.

    Would you please provide the technician's full name if you still insist that  "Blocking a few vents will not affect the furnace" is accurate. I would like to bring this statement from you to ***** DSPS or other institute, and let them to verify it.

    Also, it is common sense to keep the return air vents open and objects are not covering them. My furnace has 9 return air vents, but 5 of them were blocked completely for weeks. 

    Regards,

    ******* ****

    Business Response

    Date: 11/22/2024

    Mr. ****, 

    We were called to check a furnace that was shut down by WE Energies due to high carbon monoxide levels.  We confirmed the high c.o. levels were caused by the failed heat exchanger.  Regarding the notation from carrier - "Gas furnace turns off and on constantly" -- The furnace is designed with a high limit switch, which is designed to protect the furnace from overheating.  The combustion air for the burners is provided from the vent pipe to the outside - it does not utilize inside air for combustion.  

    Customer Answer

    Date: 11/25/2024

    Better Business Bureau:

    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.

    Please let the business to resolve my complaint. My complaint  is about the wrong statement in their report "Blocking a few vents will not affect the furnace". The business have to admit their mistake in the report, that this statement  "Blocking a few vents will not affect the furnace" was wrong and was a mistake.

    ***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

    Again, I am providing the support link here, this is the furnace's factory website, it clearly said that

    -------- Check to ensure room air vents are open and objects are not covering them. If airflow is restricted, your heat exchanger may not be getting enough air, causing your system to turn on and off more often, a situation called short cycling. -------

    So this proof the statement in their report "Blocking a few vents will not affect the furnace" was wrong. The business have to admit that this statement "Blocking a few vents will not affect the furnace" was wrong.

    I am not saying anything else about the report or the inspection, the complaint is just about this one sentence "Blocking a few vents will not affect the furnace" . They have to admit that this sentence was wrong.

    Regards,

    ******* ****

    Business Response

    Date: 11/29/2024

    The statement "blocking a few vents" was in response to a question that was asked by the tenant in regard to the high C.O. reading.   The failure of the heat the exchangers is on the combustion side and was the cause of the high carbon monoxide levels. The short cycling of the furnace, which can possibly be a result of several closed vents refers to the indoor air-flow side of the furnace, which is separate from the combustion.    Please also note that the furnace is 30 years old and we have no prior records of service on this unit.  

    Customer Answer

    Date: 12/02/2024

    Better Business Bureau:

    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.

    My complaint to the Cliff Bergin & Associates, **** is very simple, remove the wrong statement in Cliff Bergin & Associates, ****'s report "Blocking a few vents will not affect the furnace.", nothing else. I will not request anything more than that. 

    1. "Blocking a few vents will not affect the furnace." was wrong, I have provided the link from the furnace's factory's website, that says that ' blocked vents may cause short cycling'.

    2. Blocked air registers is a common cause of restricted airflow. When airflow is restricted, the furnace can't effectively remove heat from the combustion chamber, causing temperatures to rise significantly. This excessive heat puts stress on the heat exchanger material, making it more susceptible to cracking. Restricted airflow is a major contributing factor to heat exchanger cracks. Please check the attachment which came from the artificial intelligence overview, the attachment will give more detail explanation. 

    3. The third source about the wrong of "Blocking a few vents will not affect the furnace.": Please reference Book: "Principles of Home Inspection: Steam, electric and wall" - on page 93 of this book, it says ' restricted air flow causes furnace exchanger crack. '

    Please consider to remove "Blocking a few vents will not affect the furnace." from the report.

    Regards,

    ******* ****

Cliff Bergin & Associates, Inc. is BBB Accredited.

BBB accredited business seal

This business has committed to upholding the BBB Standards for Trust.

Why choose a BBB Accredited Business?

BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.

BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles.

When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.

BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period, except for customer reviews. Customer reviews posted prior to July 5, 2024, will no longer be published when they reach three years from their submission date. Customer reviews posted on/after July 5, 2024, will be published indefinitely unless otherwise voluntarily retracted by the user who submitted the content, or BBB no longer believes the review is authentic. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. If you choose to do business with this company, please let them know that you checked their record with BBB.

As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business. Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation. BBB charges a fee for BBB Accreditation. This fee supports BBB's efforts to fulfill its mission of advancing marketplace trust.