Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  12/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a new Tank less water heater and installed in 2019 by Martin plumbing in ******, **. and this unit cost me $4800.00. The unit was installed outside my house which was recommended by Martin plumbing. This was questioned by me that why this unit would be installed outside and not inside my house. The first week after installed the unit froze up and Martin plumbing was called to fix the problem which still exists. The install was not done properly and Martin had to put heating tape on the incoming water pipe and the issues kept happening.This last situation when freezing occurred was December 22, 2022 and when I called Martin plumbing who installed this unit I was told that the warranty was no longer active. I explained that this problem needed to be resolved and they acted like it was not their problem and could care less about my issues. They also left me hanging without hot water in my home for days. They told me that they would not be able to come out until sometime next week which was 4 or 5 days and that was unacceptable. This also never happened and today is December 26, 2022 and I have not been contacted. I explained that Martin plumbing had assured me that there would be no issues with this unit installed outside my house. I have spent over $2000.00in the past few years and every time the unit would freeze up I had to pay a plumber $350.00 or more to fix the problem. I have contacted Martin plumbing on Friday December 23, 2022 and had to leave a message. I wanted someone to contact me back about what they were going to do since I was not happy and have never been happy with this water heater and nobody has made an effort to get back to me. I want this unit put inside my house like it should have been in the first place, or refund me the full amount of this unit $4800.00.

  

  Business response

  01/09/2023

  We installed this tankless water heater for this homeowner on 10/25/2019, over three years ago. ************** explained the estimate & the cost and the homeowner agreed to move forward with the installation. The heater that was installed is an outdoor rated tankless heater, which is meant to be installed on the outside of the home. However, in below freezing temperatures, fixture(s) must be left dripping in order to prevent frozen pipes.  An indoor tankless water heater would also have the opportunity to freeze without a water supply left dripping in the home during below freezing temperatures. The unit froze up after the initial installation because the temperature was below freezing overnight and there was no water supply left dripping (active), no actions were taken by the homeowner to prepare for the below freezing temperatures. We did make a visit in 2019 when the unit froze, ************** applied heat tape to the unit in hopes of preventing another freeze, while also explaining to the homeowner the importance of leaving a water supply active and dripping during below freezing temperatures. On Friday December 23, 2022, the customer called and rudely demanded same day service for his frozen lines, to which our office explained that we were booked with emergency busted water line calls and we would not be able to make a visit until Monday. Our office staff also explained to the homeowner that the reason why it was not a priority is because the unit is no longer in warranty (if the unit was still in warranty, we would have made it a priority on our same day service schedule), and there was no active water leaking in the home. We provide a 1 year labor warranty from the installation date and this unit is far past the warranty period. We have not heard from the homeowner since 2019 therefore to our knowledge the heater has been working properly. We will not be refuding the installation amount to this customer. 

  Customer response

  01/09/2023

   
  Complaint: 18640359
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The reason I had to call another plumber was that when I called on Thursday I was told Martin could not come out until the following week which was 5 days later than when I called. This is what you get from using a NOT reputable heating and cooling service.  They can't even supply the correct date when the install was done. I have a picture attached when I contacted these people through ******** Messenger and as you can see the correct date for a call I made to Martin was 2 weeks after this unit was installed. Two weeks after the install and I still had to wait to get a phone call back and never called.  

  This tank less water heater froze up even after leaving my water on at a fast pace so what Martin is saying is again not true. These people could care less about your problems and after several calls even with this unit still under warranty I had to call another plumber because they don't answer the phone and don't return your calls. I was told by several plumbers that the unit is not even attached at the bottom and needed additional heating tapes to keep this unit outside from freezing up. 

  The very least Martin can do is compensate me for all their s**** *** and the amount of money I had to pay another plumber to do work they should have done even under warranty. I was told by many plumbers this unit should have been installed inside my house not outside like I was told by Martin. This is why I have had problems with the unit outside not inside. Martin waited until the warranty was up which I was told was more than 2 years on this Rinnai tank less water heater. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************************

  

  Business response

  01/20/2023

  This customer had a 1 year labor warranty with our company and had the opportunity to call ** within that year to discuss any issues. We have not been in contact with this customer since 2019. From what I am gathering, the tankless water heater we installed does in fact work, the customer is complaining that the pipes/heater have frozen each winter. We cannot predict nor do we have any affect on mother nature. Every water heater, tankless or not, both indoors and outdoors, have the opportunity to freeze during below freezing *******. Our technicians do not push any type of product on any customer. There could be many reasons why both ************** *and the homeowner* agreed to proceed with the outdoor rated heater installation. We do not keep record of why a customer chooses a certain product. The customer claims we do not answer the phone, however December of 2022 was the first time we have had contact with this customer since 2019. Our office staff spoke with the customer in December 2022 and explained that we could not come out until the following week due to a high volume of water bust/ leak calls. The customer accepted this answer and ended the call. The customer then called back, our office was unable to answer because she was on the line with another customer. She then received a voicemail from this customer very rudely demanding same day service. Office staff had already politely explained to the customer that we were not able to come out until the following week, so upon receiving this voicemail she did not call him back because we could not accept his demand of same day service. We are sorry that the customer is unsatisfied, but we have provided to the customer the work in which we were paid for and the 1 year labor warranty with our company has expired. 

  Customer response

  01/20/2023

   
  Complaint: 18640359
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************************

  This tank less water heater was sold to me stated by **** who works for Martin plumbing that you would have no issues with this heater if installed outside. This was false advertisement on ***** part who works for Martin plumbing along with Martin plumbing that never helped in any way to see that the problems I have had were addressed. They don't return phone calls especially after complaining to them. They see my phone number and ignore any messages. I was also told by the woman who answers the phone that when this started that if I was not happy they would put another water heater in place of this outside heater. Time to Martin plumbing is not a good or fair response. Martin plumbing does not care for me as a customer and I stand by my response that ******************************************* sold us a unit that never worked properly from day 1 and shows they could care less. I stand by my complaint and should stay listed by the Better Business Bureau as a company to be aware of doing business with. 

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