Customer wants me to pay $65 because I apparently didn't put their furnace door completely back on.

[Tcoulter]

So I cleaned carpet and air ducts 1 month ago. Worked super super hard, gave them a killer deal because I took over my step-fathers company who passed away, and accidentally didn't even charge them for 1 trunk line because I wasn't sure of my step-dads pricing structure. So they got all ducts cleaned, dirty as hell, and 2 room of carpet, for 300 bucks. It was a long long day and I worked late, and I think I had trouble getting the furnace doors totally back on to where they sat flush. Apparently, it was slightly cockeyed when I put it back on, so it must've not been in tight enough to push the safety switch.

So they call me today, and told me that the day after I cleaned, they called an HVAC company to come out, since their air wasn't working, and were charged $65 for the guy to slide in the dooor again. Probably took him less than 15 seconds. THEN he cleaned their coils. He charged them their minimum service charge($65), plus $20 for the coil cleaner chemical cost.

I told my customer that I was sorry but since I live less than a mile away, I wish she would've just called me to tell me the air wasn't working, and I could've solved her problem in under 30 seconds. The HVAC company is about 5 blocks from her house too. Just silly to me.

I decided that I didn't want to get a bad name in this town, so I just told her I would pay the $65, but that she REALLY should've called me first, and then I explained to her that she basically got a $500 job done for $300, PLUS I just paid an HVAC company the labor to clean her coils.

What would you have done?

 

[U. S. Vet.]

So I cleaned carpet and air ducts 1 month ago. Worked super super hard, gave them a killer deal because I took over my step-fathers company who passed away, and accidentally didn't even charge them for 1 trunk line because I wasn't sure of my step-dads pricing structure. So they got all ducts cleaned, dirty as hell, and 2 room of carpet, for 300 bucks. It was a long long day and I worked late, and I think I had trouble getting the furnace doors totally back on to where they sat flush. Apparently, it was slightly cockeyed when I put it back on, so it must've not been in tight enough to push the safety switch.

So they call me today, and told me that the day after I cleaned, they called an HVAC company to come out, since their air wasn't working, and were charged $65 for the guy to slide in the dooor again. Probably took him less than 15 seconds. THEN he cleaned their coils. He charged them their minimum service charge($65), plus $20 for the coil cleaner chemical cost.

I told my customer that I was sorry but since I live less than a mile away, I wish she would've just called me to tell me the air wasn't working, and I could've solved her problem in under 30 seconds. The HVAC company is about 5 blocks from her house too. Just silly to me.

I decided that I didn't want to get a bad name in this town, so I just told her I would pay the $65, but that she REALLY should've called me first, and then I explained to her that she basically got a $500 job done for $300, PLUS I just paid an HVAC company the labor to clean her coils.

What would you have done?

You certainly did everything right, to the tee. A good name is rather to be chosen than much fine silver.
I commend you on your instinct.

 

[Kipp]

Job review and customer education is important on every job.

1. Anything you work on should be shown/demonstrated to the customer. I would run the system once done to demonstrate to customer operation...it won't be a door next time, it will be a wire that fries something and you'll get blamed....

2. Educate your customer on what to do before you leave. If you want to be the point of contact on issues then let them know that...

I do have to wonder though... you did this job a month ago and they are just calling you today? That doesn't really add up...sounds like the when the service guy showed up he mentioned the safety switch wasn't being pressed correclty and the customer said oh I had my ducts cleaned could they have done something...and the service guy said yeah that's it...

Sound to me like you own that service guy a swift kick to the go nads

Also cleaning coils isn't a $20 job...it was a $85 job but I am sure their policy is to wave the service call if you have any work done...

It's just $65 but this is why I hate people...always will

 

[Tcoulter]

Job review and customer education is important on every job.

1. Anything you work on should be shown/demonstrated to the customer. I would run the system once done to demonstrate to customer operation...it won't be a door next time, it will be a wire that fries something and you'll get blamed....

2. Educate your customer on what to do before you leave. If you want to be the point of contact on issues then let them know that...

I do have to wonder though... you did this job a month ago and they are just calling you today? That doesn't really add up...sounds like the when the service guy showed up he mentioned the safety switch wasn't being pressed correclty and the customer said oh I had my ducts cleaned could they have done something...and the service guy said yeah that's it...

Sound to me like you own that service guy a swift kick to the go nads

Also cleaning coils isn't a $20 job...it was a $85 job but I am sure their policy is to wave the service call if you have any work done...

It's just $65 but this is why I hate people...always will

Yeah I always say "Let me know if theres any issues!" before I leave any job. . I usually turn on the AC before I leave. I felt like I did this time too. Maybe I am mistaken on that. Apparently she just now got the HVAC bill, so that is why she just called me today, over 1 month later. I called the HVAC company just to confirm that is what happened. I still think it's absolutely asinine that i have to pay her $65. What if I just had a brain fart and forgot to put the door back on completely? I feel like most people wouldn't expect me to just give them $65 because of that. I just can't stand people sometimes.

 

[U. S. Vet.]

So I cleaned carpet and air ducts 1 month ago. Worked super super hard, gave them a killer deal because I took over my step-fathers company who passed away, and accidentally didn't even charge them for 1 trunk line because I wasn't sure of my step-dads pricing structure. So they got all ducts cleaned, dirty as hell, and 2 room of carpet, for 300 bucks. It was a long long day and I worked late, and I think I had trouble getting the furnace doors totally back on to where they sat flush. Apparently, it was slightly cockeyed when I put it back on, so it must've not been in tight enough to push the safety switch.

So they call me today, and told me that the day after I cleaned, they called an HVAC company to come out, since their air wasn't working, and were charged $65 for the guy to slide in the dooor again. Probably took him less than 15 seconds. THEN he cleaned their coils. He charged them their minimum service charge($65), plus $20 for the coil cleaner chemical cost.

I told my customer that I was sorry but since I live less than a mile away, I wish she would've just called me to tell me the air wasn't working, and I could've solved her problem in under 30 seconds. The HVAC company is about 5 blocks from her house too. Just silly to me.

I decided that I didn't want to get a bad name in this town, so I just told her I would pay the $65, but that she REALLY should've called me first, and then I explained to her that she basically got a $500 job done for $300, PLUS I just paid an HVAC company the labor to clean her coils.

What would you have done?

People just lie, lie, lie like the wind and they really believe we don’t now exactly what’s in front of us. We ask them to introduce the issue(s) by admission - always ideal but not always worth holding your breath for.
Example :
Pro: • • • • oh, aaahhhh • • • any pets in the house ???
Client : NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOO, there’s never been a dog in this house.
Clients definitely don’t mind bending the truth like so much continuous loop pile.

 

[Kxp]

Ya you did the right thing I think, your name is good and hopefully they will use you again.

 

[Spazznout]

We clean primarily Ducts.

This happens occasionally. No matter how hard you try. Sometimes its your fault. Sometimes its NOT.

The safety switches inside of furnaces are mounted on such a thin piece of metal even taking the door off and on a few times can cause it to bend back and not be depressed all the way the next time the door is put on. We always make a point to ALWAYS bend them towards the door or front of the furnace just before we put the doors back on.

Then as others have mentioned, turn the system back on and bring your customer to the furnace during your post clean interview and let them see and hear that the furnace is running.

This was a cheap one. Wait till you either fry a board or get blamed for it.That is gonna set you back 700-1000 bucks. No matter how careful you are, accidents happen and you may not have even realized it and people are a$$ wholes and will try to get one over if they see an opportunity. CYA. Cover your ASS. Document everything. Including video of the running furnace. Photos of the inside of ducts before and after you cleaned. The bonus, all these photos give you a ton of material for advertising and facebook and other social media pages.

We have a HVAC company that we work with very closely when these kind of issue arise to keep our costs down. That is also a must. A good working relationship with an HVAC company.

 

[OxiFreshGuy]

Yeah I'm dealing with one right now. A bad odor started in the master bedroom after we cleaned the carpets. They had us back out and we recleaned it. Didnt solve the problem.

Coincidentally they had a leak in the basement so they had the water resto tech check the moisture levels in their master bedroom carpets. Some spots are reading 30% moisture. Rest of the rooms we did in the house measure 8%.

Weird right ? So what's going on ? Who is at fault ?

 

[U. S. Vet.]

Yeah I'm dealing with one right now. A bad odor started in the master bedroom after we cleaned the carpets. They had us back out and we recleaned it. Didnt solve the problem.

Coincidentally they had a leak in the basement so they had the water resto tech check the moisture levels in their master bedroom carpets. Some spots are reading 30% moisture. Rest of the rooms we did in the house measure 8%.

Weird right ? So what's going on ? Who is at fault ?

Same steps as W. D. Restoration. Find, Track, Document. Here, pics of the meter are important. You might have cleaned over pre existing W. D. - not your fault - if no one said anything. Did it smell before you got started? If not, it’s still not your fault; you brought up ( wicking ), the funk while drying. It’s not your fault

 

[OxiFreshGuy]

It didn't smell before we started, however its one of those "pet pads", so who the hell knows. What's strange is, initially they complained to us that the carpet in that room DRIED before all the others. Why I explained to them why because it was a berber style nylon, so it usually does dry faster than a saxony type pile (which was in every other room and was polyester). So I actually cleaned it on a lower PSI and extra dry pass for that particular room being nylon.

 

[sbsscn]

So I cleaned carpet and air ducts 1 month ago. Worked super super hard, gave them a killer deal because I took over my step-fathers company who passed away, and accidentally didn't even charge them for 1 trunk line because I wasn't sure of my step-dads pricing structure. So they got all ducts cleaned, dirty as hell, and 2 room of carpet, for 300 bucks. It was a long long day and I worked late, and I think I had trouble getting the furnace doors totally back on to where they sat flush. Apparently, it was slightly cockeyed when I put it back on, so it must've not been in tight enough to push the safety switch.

So they call me today, and told me that the day after I cleaned, they called an HVAC company to come out, since their air wasn't working, and were charged $65 for the guy to slide in the dooor again. Probably took him less than 15 seconds. THEN he cleaned their coils. He charged them their minimum service charge($65), plus $20 for the coil cleaner chemical cost.

I told my customer that I was sorry but since I live less than a mile away, I wish she would've just called me to tell me the air wasn't working, and I could've solved her problem in under 30 seconds. The HVAC company is about 5 blocks from her house too. Just silly to me.

I decided that I didn't want to get a bad name in this town, so I just told her I would pay the $65, but that she REALLY should've called me first, and then I explained to her that she basically got a $500 job done for $300, PLUS I just paid an HVAC company the labor to clean her coils.

What would you have done?

You did right by reimbursing for the rip off of a service call.....hmmmm I wonder if in reality she had the coil cleaned and is trying to get you to pay for it, cause $65.00 just to close the door!?! Id ask for a copy of the invoice for your records.

Anyhow, I would dump them. No way would I go back there, Sorry to be picky but I just do not like it when a customer does not value or appreciate work. Her actions were completely irrational. I think she flipped the switch it didnt come on and had someone come in to check it out and they said no charge unless you let me clean the coil. so
to me she should have said no cleaning and paid the bill and passed it to you.

Next time just charge regular cost and double check everything

 

[U. S. Vet.]

It didn't smell before we started, however its one of those "pet pads", so who the hell knows. What's strange is, initially they complained to us that the carpet in that room DRIED before all the others. Why I explained to them why because it was a berber style nylon, so it usually does dry faster than a saxony type pile (which was in every other room and was polyester). So I actually cleaned it on a lower PSI and extra dry pass for that particular room being nylon.

You said the “Berber” ( continuous loop pile - CLP ), a nylon ( they are most often polypropylene ), usually dries faster than a saxony, please explain. CLP’s nylon or polypropylene will always take longer to dry than cut pile; all other things equal. Maybe I read that wrong ???

 

[OxiFreshGuy]

You said the “Berber” ( continuous loop pile - CLP ), a nylon ( they are most often polypropylene ), usually dries faster than a saxony, please explain. CLP’s nylon or polypropylene will always take longer to dry than cut pile; all other things equal. Maybe I read that wrong ???

In this case dries faster because in the berber style the water doesnt penetrate as deeply. I'd be really shocked if I was hitting the pad at 400 PSI on that carpet. It was a high end, heavy face weight Nylon berber.

Versus the cheap polyester they had in the rest of the house, the water passed through and more deeply so takes longer to wick up and dry.

 

[U. S. Vet.]

In this case dries faster because in the berber style the water doesnt penetrate as deeply. I'd be really shocked if I was hitting the pad at 400 PSI on that carpet. It was a high end, heavy face weight Nylon berber.

Versus the cheap polyester they had in the rest of the house, the water passed through and more deeply so takes longer to wick up and dry.

For sure not trying to pick a fight - honest, but would you say that over penetration warrants lower psi. I rarely push over 250 psi under any circumstance and that’s with an RDM. 400 psi will shoot through any density CLP surface if not lightly touching the primar backing. Maybe there were some unknown factors involved?

 

[U. S. Vet.]

For sure not trying to pick a fight - honest, but would you say that over penetration warrants lower psi. I rarely push over 250 psi under any circumstance and that’s with an RDM. 400 psi will shoot through any density CLP surface if not lightly touching the primar backing. Maybe there were some unknown factors involved?

Was the CLP new? Was water temp the same on both Saxon & CLP? Was it way hotter when you cleaned the CLP?

 

[OxiFreshGuy]

Water temp was the same, about 220 at the truck, 200 at the wand. No it was about 4 years old. If it over-penetrated it would be highly unusual. I've routinely cleaned at 400-500 PSI with my 2019 Apex 570, the vacuum is powerful and over-wetting has not been an issue on over 1,000+ jobs. Hose run was 100 ft at 2".

In fact, like I said before the client actually claimed that particular room was dry faster than all the other rooms. Which given the style of carpet I'm not surprised as the extra dry pass is more effective. The only other thing I can think of is pet urine, perhaps deeply embedded pet urine, the water activated it, somehow it was down through the pet padding (maybe at a seam etc). Because according to ServPro it was 2-3 spots reading 30% moisture level. The fact it isn't drying out seems to indicate something is holding onto it.

 

[U. S. Vet.]

Water temp was the same, about 220 at the truck, 200 at the wand. No it was about 4 years old. If it over-penetrated it would be highly unusual. I've routinely cleaned at 400-500 PSI with my 2019 Apex 570, the vacuum is powerful and over-wetting has not been an issue on over 1,000+ jobs. Hose run was 100 ft at 2".

In fact, like I said before the client actually claimed that particular room was dry faster than all the other rooms. Which given the style of carpet I'm not surprised as the extra dry pass is more effective. The only other thing I can think of is pet urine, perhaps deeply embedded pet urine, the water activated it, somehow it was down through the pet padding (maybe at a seam etc). Because according to ServPro it was 2-3 spots reading 30% moisture level. The fact it isn't drying out seems to indicate something is holding onto it.

Ok, question, were there pets in the house? 30% is relatively low, about what might read on a pee spot on a sunny day. A dog or cat will have seemingly uncontrolled fits trying to get to a spot they want to pee on. They’ll pull and pull and go nuts. You think it could have been a repeat offender, may be more than one pet or one pet repeatedly or both, several pets, several times? A UV light will help distinguish old, new and repeat deposits. In fact this is a really good example of the effectiveness of a UV.
Im saying the animals pissed on the carpet after you left. The 16 yo that took ( or fabricated for $$$ ), those #’s, might not have a clue which ends up. Did u put a meter on them spots?
The description you give does not point to the pad allowing much intrusion through seams in either direction. Once down, filtering back up through a seam in volume enough to cause those issues; I’d rule that out. It looks like a re-offense. A UV will surely tell that story.

 

[Kevin Dumas]

I would have apologized, paid the bill and then moved on with life.
Seems you are having a problem with the latter?
I understand you would want them to call you first but they did not.

 

[Tcoulter]

I would have apologized, paid the bill and then moved on with life.
Seems you are having a problem with the latter?
I understand you would want them to call you first but they did not.

Obviously I moved on with my life. Doesn't mean it isn't irritating and something to watch out for.

 

[wandwizard]

She sounds like one of those occasional bad apples to me too. I would have paid it to get rid of her. The fact she waited a whole month and expects you to pay the whole service fee smells really fishy to me. I wouldn't want to keep her as a customer. I have a very short list of people who I know messed me over and I will never serve them again. I keep the list for the simple reason I have a terrible memory. I actually got called by one woman twice and she messed me over both times! Then, to top it off, she's tried to call several times since then so she could rip me off again. She's a habitually dishonest person and a thief. Fortunately, most people around here are honest. W/o that list she might have gotten by with it a third time.

There were several years between the times she called. I've only been messed over maybe 10 times in over 30 years. The most recent was Ruby Tuesday so I'm putting out the word on them. Expect them to pay immediately or don't work for them. I will never work for them again, period. Btw, not paying has nothing to do with the current pandemic. This was a full month before all this crap got started. Now, since the pandemic, they wound up closing, possibly permanently. It has changed my policy when dealing with commercial work, especially restaurants, permanently. I expect payment upon completion or they can get someone else.