ComplaintsforVince Marino Plumbing LLC

• Initial Complaint

  10/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  M***** came on 8/24/22 to fix dryer vent & perform check on two-year-old boiler. He fixed the dryer vent for $150 & was unable to complete boiler check. Said boiler emitted high CO upon ignition & his report later stated 1288ppm CO. Claimed my CO monitors wouldn’t read levels “that low.” Per manufacturer: monitors go off in minutes at 400ppm+ & all tested fine. He called boiler rep on speaker to confirm CO levels for this boiler & to say gas valve wrong. Rep said gas valve correct and M*****’s CO levels wrong. M***** said rep “didn’t know anything.” Continued to claim gas valve incorrect & quoted $425 to replace valve. Ran more tests & opened chimney without telling me. Disconnected flue from metal chimney liner & didn’t reconnect—boiler couldn’t be turned on when he left. Said liner shouldn’t be there & provided name of his roofer friend to remove liner because the chimney had original terracotta. I confirmed he said metal liner needed to be removed & not replaced. I contacted chimney sweep who said removing metal liner would be unnecessary, costly, dangerous, & code violation as the liner was there because terracotta failed. Unless M***** has x-ray vision, he would have no way to assess terracotta nor metal liner. I had informed M***** I had home warranty at time of visit, who would cover boiler check & his future work if he provided diagnosis. Home warranty said he refused to provide diagnosis. He left me with an unusable boiler & hole in wall. I hired heating & cooling company to perform 2nd boiler check. They said nothing wrong with gas valve nor chimney & CO levels were well within normal. Technician said M***** didn’t take CO readings correctly. Technician very familiar with boiler. I told M***** via text on 9/23/22 I wouldn’t need his services. He asked me to send him my address to mail bill for dryer vent. I provided address. He later left irate voicemail & emailed his CO report. He used CO report to add $135 to bill.

  Business response

  11/07/2022

  Ms ***** I never received your information the customer mailed me a partial check with your letter which I attached. I need a copy of the complaint the customer wrote for me to respond. In the meantime I will let you know that this matter involves a second opinion for a confirmed unsafe condition with Kery's boiler. Attached is the letter she sent me.
  
  Keep in mind that the BBB is not a settlement company or arbitrator  or a court in equity. The customer paid a portion of the services I provided. I conducted a fall boiler clean and check. Upon performing a combustion analysis I found rising carbon monoxide (CO) in the flue.I shut off the boiler and proceeded according to ******* requests. Once I receive the copy of the complaint I will send a response. 
  I will also contact my attorney to send a notice to  ***** and the company she used ***** ******* *** ******* regarding legal liability and any future possible injury pursuant to the Wanton Act. 
  
  In closing I will forward you my certification and a copy of the combustion test of ******* boiler.
  
  Also attached is text communications from the customer regarding her boiler. Until I receive the complaint I can not file a written response. Please email me the copy of her complaint. 
  
  Regards, Vince

  Business response

  11/08/2022

  Vince M***** Plumbing, LLC
  3324 Dawson Street Pittsburgh, Pa 15213
  (###-###-####) (###-###-####)
  Home Improvement Registration # 057760
  Allegheny County Health Department License H.P. 1108
  ______________________________________________________________
  11/6 2022
  Ref: ***** *******
  *** ********* ****** **** ** *****
  
  1. On August 24, 2022, I replaced your dryer vent piping as you directed.
  

  2. After the dryer vent, I performed a fall boiler check and cleaned your hot water boiler.
  

  3. Upon conducting a valid required combustion analysis of the boiler I detected rising carbon monoxide levels (CO) in the flue gases and my handheld ambient carbon
  monoxide detector alarmed at over 35 ppm. You were standing nearby me.

  4. Upon reading the numbers on my analyzer the rising CO was accompanied by lowering oxygen (O2 ) this is a verified problem of incomplete combustion or
  inadequate combustion and is very dangerous.

  5. I shut off your boiler immediately and inspected the flue pipe upon removing the section of flue pipe into the chimney it was discovered that the prior owner's boiler
  installer left the flue liner short inside the chimney and not fully 160 degrees making an elbow connection. In other words, the flue liner was obstructed.
  

  6. I advised you what needed to be done accordingly and you followed up with your home warranty. I followed up with the home warranty and explained the situation. I
  said until the flue liner is corrected and properly brought out of the chimney and connected to the boiler flue pipe I could not further determine what the cause is of
  rising CO. And you do have rising CO levels out of the required normal safe levels.

  
  7. I advised you regarding the text communications to call a roofer or chimney sweep not an HVAC company to properly extend the liner out you needed a new liner, not
  a made-up section. A stainless steel flue liner needs to be extended out of the chimney with a proper thimble not left in the chimney and hidden.
  

  8. You called ***** ******* *** ******* company and believe that everything is okay and your safety is not of concern but an expense.
  

  9. I also advised that I called **** ****** and was communicating with the technical department on what could be causing the rising CO.
  

  10. You are telling a certified combustion analyst who is also a Registered Master plumber in Allegheny County and has jurisdiction over all pressure vessels that an
  HVAC tech says your boiler is safely combusting.
  

  11. Let's be realistic here and not be fooled I left your boiler off according to the Wanton Act regarding an unsafe life-threatening circumstance involving your boiler.
  

  12. I spoke with the ***** service manager and the tech that was at your home did not conduct a combustion analysis further only did an ambient reading which is
  immaterial to the fact that your boiler is probably still unsafe.
  
  Conclusion
  
  After I respond to the BBB I will follow up with you and ***** ******* *** *******
  with a written notice from my attorney making you aware that according to the
  Wanton Act my business is cleared. I did the right thing I shut your boiler off and
  was going to correct the unsafe conditions, but you choose to go the other way for
  expense and want to cheat me out of a proper clean and check of your boiler.
  Respectively submitted, ____________________________________________
  
  Vince M***** Plumbing, LLC,

  Business response

  11/09/2022

  I would also like for you to send this link on the installation of the liner it shows how it is installed and cones out of the wall.  
  

  https://www.mtlfab.com/media/Flexible_Stainless_Steel_Chimney_Liner_Instructions-L2589.pdf

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