San Diego is known for its perfect weather, but we still have our chilly winter mornings. When one renter in Rancho Bernardo turned on his brand new heating unit, it started showering the townhome in white dust.
"It coated everything. It was on the floor and the furnishings nearby," said Leonard Hom, the owner of the Rancho Bernardo townhome.
The year before, Hom bought the furnace for $6,700 from ASI Hastings Heating, Air but it hadn't been used until this winter. Hom called ASI and a technician came out to inspect the unit which was still under warranty.
"He did his work and said he couldn’t find anything wrong with the heater," said Hom.
Hom said the technician thought the ductwork and vents might be the issue.
He said he wanted a second opinion and called an independent technician. But when he could not find anything wrong with the vents, Hom reached back out to ASI and a third technician came out to inspect the unit.
At this point, Hom said he began to worry about his tenant's safety.
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"Anytime something like powder comes out, you’re concerned about breathing that in and that’s not a good thing," said Hom.
That's when Hom asked for a refund. When he didn't hear back he called again. Hom said he was told they would not issue him a refund, but didn't explain why.
That's when he reached out to NBC 7 Responds.
"We never thought we’d have to do such a thing, but we had nothing to lose at that point," said Hom.
NBC 7 Responds reached out to ASI, who quickly reached out to Hom to schedule a time to remove the heater.
"They showed up on time, it was very professional. They removed the equipment and they wrote us a refund check," said Hom. "We can’t thank NBC 7 Responds enough for their involvement."
In a statement, a spokesperson from ASI said the company "is dedicated to providing a remarkable experience for our clients. Every team member here at ASI takes pride in knowing White Glove Service is a commitment to our clients. Thank you to NBC for assisting ASI in this process and we pride ourselves in creating lifelong partnerships with each and every homeowner who trusts ASI with their home comfort needs."
