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Master Plvmber
Citizen
Username: Master_plvmber
Post Number: 190
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Monday, February 23, 2004 - 11:08 am: |     |
When I began posting in this forum I decided to make it a matter of policy not to respond publicly to a critical customer. I must make an exception in light of the post by Sjv in the "Best plumber going" thread.
We responded to a call by the poster, or her husband, that they were new to the house and wanted to have their boiler and thermostat checked. As this seemed to be a routine boiler service we dispatched a technician in the late afternoon, around 3:30pm. Our records indicate he arrived at 3:40pm. The customer didn’t like the standard thermostats we offer and had a specific model or function in mind that we don’t normally keep in stock. We told the tech to pick one up nearby and install it as per the customer’s request.
After changing the thermostat he was able to run the boiler and perform the typical service procedures. The technician replaced a faulty blow-down valve, a gasket and several other miscellaneous parts on the obviously neglected boiler. When he got to the part when he checked for proper draft, ie proper venting, through the flue/chimney, of combustion byproducts (carbon monoxide). He found a major problem.
The chimney seemed to be blocked with debris and soot and practically all of the exhaust from the boiler was going directly into the home.
I need the readers of this post to understand what a serious and dangerous condition this was.
I am greatly indebted to my technician who identified this problem and appreciated the potential consequences of NOT addressing it properly.
The poster’s husband, Mr. Sjv for our purposes, witnessed this condition as he was alongside the tech during the duration of the service call.
I don’t know if it is a rule unique to Gateway Plumbing and Heating that a fuel burning device found in this condition MUST be either repaired or disabled upon discovery, but it shouldn’t be.
The tech then tested the water heater and found what he thought was the very same problem, a blocked chimney.
He removed the flue piping from the boiler and found the chimney was packed with debris. He removed the flue piping from the water heater and found something even MORE disturbing.
The chimney was constructed of two layers of brick, one outer and one inner layer. Whoever installed the water heater piped the flue into the first layer of brick and cemented around it. The flue was NEVER vented into the chimney since the day it was installed and 100% of the carbon monoxide produced by the water heater stayed in the home.
Mr.Sjv watched for hours as the technician removed an entire garbage pail full of debris (sticks, leaves, soot) from the chimney and replaced ALL of the flue piping to allow proper venting of both appliances.
My records show the tech clocked out of that house at 10:07pm.
Mr. Sjv called my office to express his gratitude for a job well done and for the tech’s perseverance in correcting this problem.
I understand that in business you can’t please everyone all the time but in this case I wouldn’t have done a thing differently and I feel that my price was justified.
I’m going to be less of a presence on MOL in the future and will check periodically to see if anyone specifically asks for me to respond to a post.
At this point, most of you know how to reach me and my company. To those of you who recommend us to your neighbors, Gateway Plumbing and Heating and the Cataneo family sincerely thank you for your continued support
Master_Plvmber
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greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 2006
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, February 23, 2004 - 2:53 pm: | |
Master-
You've always been great - I've always trusted your posts & appreciate the fact that you seem to answer thoroughly and honestly, without expecting people to call you.
To be honest, after reading many of your posts, I'd made up my mind that if my current plumber (who I love and is also a neighbor) ever wasn't available, etc., you'd be the first person I'd call. This is based purely on how you respond & treat people online.
Please don't let one sour customer run you off. You have been a great part of this board. |
magmasystems
Citizen
Username: Magmasystems
Post Number: 217
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Monday, February 23, 2004 - 3:07 pm: | |
MasterPlumber,
Would it have been proper for your technician to have explained what needed to be fixed to Sjv and told him how much it would cost before doing any work? Or was it the case of your tech doing a fix, then uncovering more problems as each successive fix was applied?
I am sure that your work was excellent. However, I am sure that we all have been negatively surprised when we expect a bill in a certain range and then get the actual bill in a totally different range.
Was it possible for your tech to have managed Sjv's financial expectations as the work was being performed?
Marc
www.millburnweb.com
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grw
Citizen
Username: Grw
Post Number: 250
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Monday, February 23, 2004 - 4:05 pm: | |
It seems to me that is not the Tech's call, he is an employee. It didn't seem like this could be estimated, this was one of those situations that gets fixed, then figured out.
I do know that Gateway is highly regarded in town, they are established and they are not going anywhere.
Maybe this is a bit drastic, but it seems to me they just might have saved these peoples lives. How much is that worth?? |
curb
Citizen
Username: Curb
Post Number: 385
Registered: 1-2001
| | Posted on Monday, February 23, 2004 - 4:11 pm: | |
Not $1200.00 to Sjv. |
Zeno
Citizen
Username: Eratosthenes
Post Number: 31
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Monday, February 23, 2004 - 10:03 pm: | |
Had Mr Sjv called out the knucklehead who installed our boiler, he and his spouse would not be alive to complain today. Perhaps they should stop to think about their fortune. |
ReallyTrying
Citizen
Username: Reallytrying
Post Number: 271
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 24, 2004 - 1:00 pm: | |
Considering all the work that was done and the potentially life-saving effect, $1200 seems money very well spent. Sure, it's a lot of money, especially when you've just moved and might be feeling a bit broke. OTOH, it's cheaper than a funeral. |
Richard O'Connor
Citizen
Username: Roconn
Post Number: 170
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, February 29, 2004 - 7:36 am: | |
I'd like to note that having read this post (and the "Best Plumber Going" thread) Mr. SJV has yet to reply to the responses directed to him from other members.
Richard (ROC)
--Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic.--
--AIM: ROConn |
Sjv
Citizen
Username: Sjv
Post Number: 2
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 8:06 am: | |
Okay, here I am, it's SJV... it seems by not responding sooner I have broken some unwritten rule of this message board.
Let me say first, I will probably not post on this message board again. I hesitated to do it for months, partly because people do seem to be downright nasty to each other some of the time and I find the sarcasm really off-putting (but I suppose that's what many of you enjoy about it...), and second because I know that Master Plvmber (aka Gateway Plumbing) is integrally involved in this online community. But I thought neighbors looking for a plumber would appreciate hearing when people had a less than positive experience (in addition to their wonderful experiences) -- my mistake.
I think my original post (in the Best Plumber Around thread) indicated that my complaint was about lack of communication around the cost of the repairs. Not about whether the work needed to be done. (or even the price itself for that matter).
As far as whether our lives were saved by the technician's efforts -- again, I have no way to know that. I'm not disputing what work did or didn't need to be done. I know the boiler and water heater have been there for a number of years and I know we have two carbon monoxide detectors, neither of which has indicated any carbon monoxide in the home since we've lived here. But I suppose that could change at any moment.
Regarding the call made by my husband to "express his gratitude for a job well done"... By the time the technician was ready to go he seemed a bit nervous about being here for so long. BEFORE presenting us with a bill he ASKED my husband to call his boss and let him know that he had been at the house the whole time. Because we thought the technician was a pretty nice guy, my husband didn't have any problem doing that. (And I'm sure he is a nice guy, I just wish he had communicated more clearly with us).
Having said all of that, I'll leave you all to it. In any new community it takes awhile to learn the rules. I suspected, and now know, that it doesn't pay to try and offer any criticism of those who are active members of the community. I think my original post was pretty honest and balanced (I accepted some of the blame myself), but I can see that this activity is not going to be one I will find enjoyable or satisfying in any way. I have no problem with Master Plvumber responding with his side of the story, but the responses from most everyone else make me feel a little like I'm on trial. This is my first message board experience and I guess I'm just not cut out for it... |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 2068
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 9:18 am: | |
SJV-
I wasn't going to respond, because you have a right to see things the way you do. But, I re-read the posts. IMHO, for the most part, people gave different views & explanations. Some even agreed with you.
Sometimes, people are greeted with skepticism when their very first post is a criticism of someone who is fairly well respected. Unfair? Maybe. FWIW- I think Master Plumber over-reacted by pulling away based on your post. Especially since he got so much support. But, that is also his right.
I understand your concern over the nastiness. I am not as active as I used to be, and there are people whom I refuse to engage, and threads I do not visit (Education, Poliitical Soapbox and many of the regular Soapbox threads) for the same reasons.
But, I think that the people who responded to you (for the most part) are not among the critical nutcases. And, as a new homeowner, you may find it invaluable to be a part of this community. I wish MOL had been around the first couple years we lived here; it would have saved us a lot of money. (OTOH, I have also found that, some of the contractors that get recommended a lot get too busy!!! Not that I'm talking about Justin or anything....  Sorry- private joke}.
Anyway, my response was based on the fact that I don't think the guy was trying to screw you, nor did it sound, to me, as if they did anything untoward. I did not read your post as a communication issue, and if I misread, I apologize. The fact of the matter is, in our case, our new CM detector had been installed only two weeks before. It did not go off, either. Our being away for the weekend, with the house shut up & no windows open, allowed a build-up to occur which did trigger the alarm. In these drafty old houses, the air flow & leaky windows can be a blessing. I, and others, were sharing our similar experiences.
And, unfortunately, you are probably not done with nasty surprises or unplanned, huge expenses. One thing we have learned from this board is who to call, and when. Just so you know, there have been contractors highly recommended on this board whom we did not find to be so great.
If you participate more, you may find that you enjoy some of the people, and that you won't get jumped on so much.
Want to start fresh? Do you have a positive experience with any locals to share?  |
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