A water heater turned into a leaking mess for Valley homeowner, John.
"The thing was disgusting," he said, describing the leak. He took steps to keep the mess contained. "I had cups under all the fittings where it was leaking. It looked like the bottom of it was leaking and the pan was all calcium filled. It was just a nightmare."
The appliance was only a year old and under warranty, so John reached out to the company he purchased the water heater from for help.
"They said, 'We'll be more than happy to exchange it, but you've got to take it out and you have to bring it up [to the store],'" John explained. He says the ask was a shock. He learned that while the appliance was covered under warranty, the labor wasn't. That's why the company wanted John himself to disassemble the water heater and bring it to the store for a replacement.
Understandably, John had concerns!
"I don't know how to play with the gas pipes and I don't know how to take it off the wall. I'm 67 years old and I don't have a vehicle big enough to put the water heater in," he said, voicing frustration.
John says he kept reaching out to the company but was constantly on hold or being transferred to different departments.
Fed up, he Let ABC15 Know. Our Better Business Bureau volunteer, Andrew, jumped on the case!
"He got everything to click and I didn't have to do a thing," said John.
Our volunteer combed through the warranty policy, contacting the company that sold the appliance and the manufacturer, explaining the situation and potential dangers of John disassembling and removing the appliance himself.
Within a few days, John says he received a call from the company he purchased the water heater from. They agreed to cover the labor costs and replace John's heater - problem solved!
While happy, John says he's not completely ready to relax yet.
"Every day I go out there and look at the water heater to make sure that it's not leaking."
The Let ABC15 Know/Better Business Volunteers work day in and day out to help Arizona consumers. If you have a consumer problem, don't hesitate to reach out by emailing consumer@abc15.com.
