Signs when it's time to retire.......

timetoretire

Customer in 3rd floor condo units complains of noise coming from the 4th floor condo unit above them. The owner of the 4th condo unit had us check it out we found air in the system ( gv 90 nat gas) and in need of service. Ok fast forward 3 months later not one complaint from the 4th floor owner who is the paying customer about there heating system so here we go.....

A short while ago, my wife and I had called your company because the heating unit in loft #owned by $%^&%%$##and directly above our loft was serviced You had specifically cleaned the unit, and then sometime later returned and replaced the air purger and added a liquid product called "Sentinel" because was hearing new noises from her heating unit.

After this service to the heating unit, we, in our loft, continued to hear a range of ongoing sounds, from whooshing to humming to buzzing to ringing. However, based on extensive research and consultation with several HVAC specialists, both live and online, we have become aware that there is risk that such sounds are symptomatic of the forced hot water system upstairs not functioning properly, which could lead to CO2 buildup, leakage, and possibly the type of sudden, acute malfunctioning that could cause flooding, etc.

We have subsequently become very concerned about both quiet enjoyment and safety issues issues for our loft, which sits directly under our neighbor's furnace. We are the only loft in the original building where the heating system from an upstairs neighbor is installed directly on the floor, while all other lofts have gas furnaces and ducts sustained in the air 11 to 13 feet above their floors. Therefore, this puts us in a rather unusual and potentially dangerous situation. We have already had flooding two times into our unit from the previous owners of the loft above us.

Therefore I have the following questions, with the goal of clarification to facilitate prevention, safety, and appropriate results:

1. Was the gas pressure checked by at any point in time when working on the heating unit in loft #

2. Was a manometer used during your servicing of the unit?

3. Was the air/fuel combustion ratio checked at any point in time while servicing the heating unit in loft # If so, was it adjusted before or after your company cleaned the furnace? Was it checked before or after changing the air purger?

4. Was the flame checked, and if so, what were the findings and measures taken thereafter?

Please let us know by Tuesday, April 20, 2021 no later than 7 PM. If we do not hear back from you, we will assume that the answer is "No" to each of the 4 questions above.

Thank you for such for your cooperation in this matter. Again, we point no fingers at your company or our friendly neighbor. We are, in good faith, trying to fact find so that we can solve this problem rather than live with its very negative impact on our loft.

Steamhead

Did that come from the owner or a lawyer?

realliveplumber

Sounds like the owner is a lawyer.

timetoretire

political cartoonist ......

ch4man

you owe them nothing as they were not the party that hired you, nor is that information yours to give to the 3rd floor tenant as it belongs to the 4th floor tenant.

nice way to say "pound sand"

HomerJSmith

Be as consolatory as possible and explain your position in the matter and that you will be as helpful as possible in helping them in resolve their problem. And do it. Make peace not confrontation.

The caveat is that some people are incapable of satisfaction and are falsely asking for help.
They should be avoided. You have to determine that.

neilc

this is reminding me of a same type thread that ran a month or 2 back,
tenant on whichever floor was hearing noise from serviced boiler above,

same, same?
coincidence?
how much ya wanna bet ?

EBEBRATT-Ed

"Quiet Enjoyment" is a lawyer's term. It's got the law written all over it

timetoretire

Well aware of legal system. Quite Enjoyment iv'e used it myself with my neighbors Air bb and won, but that's between a landlord, property owner, tenant or abutting neighbor. Until the OWNER grants permission or is order to do so to allow who ever on there property to investigate the noise it's a waste of time.

HVACNUT

I would offer to answer all their questions, for a consultation fee. 

SlamDunk

Let them assume. You can't sue someone on an assumption.

CO2 build up? Consultation with HVAC specialists both live and online? That is funny! Sound more like a PITA neighbor trying to sound like a lawyer. Probably consulted law experts "live and online". Ignore.

mattmia2

The real question is if you have to hire a lawyer to make sure it is ok to ignore this, can you collect from them for those costs.

SlamDunk

....You have the right to remain silent.
....The burden of proof is on the accuser.
....Can anyone prove that another company didn't follow this company and do something else?

Ignore them. Don't help them drag you into something unprofitable.

The owner of the furnace is responsible for the furnace. He or She can hire one of these live hvac experts to resolve this neighbors' issues. Or, they can go to the condo board.

timetoretire

will keep you all posted Can't wait to see what happens after the 7:00 pm deadline today.

EdTheHeaterMan

I like to push those people's buttons. At 6:59, send an email asking for an extension. Then send them an invoice for a couple of hundred dollars to provide the necessary reports. Research fee, Archive fee, Report generation fee, maybe even a Richard Cranium fee. (**** works in our Non-customer service department)

bucksnort

neilc said:

this is reminding me of a same type thread that ran a month or 2 back,
tenant on whichever floor was hearing noise from serviced boiler above,

same, same?
coincidence?
how much ya wanna bet ?

Sounds exactly like it. Maybe offer the services of a dead HVAC tech since the live one is "inept". Dead guy works for free.

GW

Depending on what I am feeling when I get these types of letters/emails, I would ignore it. If I'm felling jovial I may reply with a semi informative answer. Other times i may send the money back to the customer and tell them to find someone else. If they disrespect you with such dumb questions, it's not worth my time (energy)

SlamDunk

GW said:

Depending on what I am feeling when I get these types of letters/emails, I would ignore it. If I'm felling jovial I may reply with a semi informative answer. Other times i may send the money back to the customer and tell them to find someone else. If they disrespect you with such dumb questions, it's not worth my time (energy)

That's the catch- It is the neighbor of the customer who wrote the letter. Not the customer.

ratio

Forwarding it to the customer may provide for some entertainment.

delta T

One thing I always keep in mind in situations like this. Is the information you have with your clients considered confidential? You wouldn't give out their address or phone number without their consent right? What liability do you expose yourself too by giving out information about a customer's system to their angry neighbor? Are those two parties involved in a lawsuit you may not be aware of? What then?

Food for thought...

GW

Depending on what facts you carry with you, I’d ignore this old bat 

Dave T_2

I might Give the letter to your customer, with the answers, and leave it up to them how to respond. Like it or not, both you and your customer are on the receiving end of this veiled threat. It is a good time for you to document what you did at the condo detailing how you performed what was necessary properly. Then let it play out.