This whole ordeal started July 14th, and at the time of writing, it's August 3rd and nothing has…read morebeen fixed. I have a pregnant wife, a 3 year old, a dog, a cat, and an R-32 HVAC system, installed brand new in 2024, that is still under warranty. It's leaking refrigerant, causing both the air handler and condenser to build up with ice.
I called Kearny and Son's and they had a tech out the next day. He confirmed the isue was related to a faulty component that would need to be replaced, and I was quoted for around $1600 in repairs. I wasn't given an exact date, but I was given a loose estimate of about a week to the installation. I also signed up for their membership since that would waive the $90 diagnostic fee, provide bi-annual maintenance on my system, and provide me two window AC units to use while I waited.
I paid half up front.
After a few days, I get a call from the office telling me that the part they needed wasn't in stock and that they'd need to order it, which would run me an addition $200.
Fine.
About a week later, I receive another call from the office telling me that the part has not arrived, the installation is delayed, and they no longer have an ETA. Now I'm frustrated because I feel like I was lied to. Why would they take on the job knowing it could take several weeks to even get the part?
I ask the rep on the phone if I can have the name of the part and to cancel the order because I'd like to see if another company in the area has it in stock to help me sooner. Afterall, it's July, and I'm hot.
The rep tried to tell me that it would be very unlikely for another company have the part in stock since they quote, "all go through the same vendor for parts". This response made no sense to me. I just wanted to see if someone else had the part sitting on a shelf somewhere. I wasn't trying to see if someone else could somehow order it quicker. Ultimately I think this was just the rep trying to dissaude me from going to a competitor.
I also asked if they'd be willing to waive the $200 shipping fee for my troubles, to which the answer was essentially, "probably not but I'll ask".
I called around to other HVAC servicing companies in the area, none of which had the part in stock, but who all agreed that it was strange Kearny and Son's would take on the job without having the necessary equipment in stock in the first place. Go figure.
The next day I called the office back around 4pm to see what the verdict was on waiving the $200 shipping fee. The rep, who was the same woman I spoke with prior, told me that she hadn't actually asked yet.
We ended the call, and maybe an hour later I got a call back telling me that the asnwer was no.
The following week, the part finally arrived (~2wks since the initial appointment). The tech replaces the part and things seem to work. However, 3 days later, I see ice buildup on the machine again. I call to have emergency service, which I explicitly pay for.
The tech tells me they're tied up but can probably come check it out between 12-1pm. The window passes and I'm not able to get in contact with the tech until almost 2pm. The tech tells me that he won't be able to get out until almost 8pm and that I should just call in the morning to have someone come out during normal business hours.
The next morning I call shortly after they open. A new rep tells me that they can get someone to come out to me the following day, or if needed, today after business hours around 5pm. I get pretty upset and I give the rep a distillation of everything that's going on, hoping for some sympathy or understanding. The rep simply repeats herself, and I begrudgingly agree to have someone come out the same day after business hours.
Before we end the call, I ask to see if the tech that they dispatch to my address can be the same one whose been servicing my system this whole time since he will already know what's going on. The rep on the phone, for whatever reason, feels it's appropriate to tell me that he's not available because his child is in the hospital, which I assume was meant to make me feel bad for getting upset.
All in all, working with Kearny and Son's has been nothing short of a nightmare. It seems like they're really busy. I understand that I am not their only customer. What I don't understand is why they took on my case if they fundamentally lack the resources to help me. They took $1800 and 3 weeks of my life and I have no resolution. This is too much.
