Wednesday, August 01, 2012

Here we go again...

Hello American Home Shield...are you listening, Ms. Cameron?  Now it is our hot water heater.  A Whirlpool which you installed a few years ago when the old one went out during Christmas dinner and leaked through the ceiling onto the bar filled with pies.

Sunday night we had no hot water.  Early Monday morning I called AHS to report the problem.  I asked for AZ Plumbing who had just done a great job unstopping the tub.  I was to hear from them within a few hours. 

Tuesday, no call as yet.  I call them and was told a technician would be out Wednesday between 8 and 1. Cold showers it has been for our family of four...no dishwasher, etc.

I had to leave at noon and left my 40+ year old intelligent daughter in charge.  The technician arrives at 12:45, goes into the attic and comes back to say we need a thermal coupler which will have to be ordered.  It could take up to 2 weeks but we can order overnight shipping at our expense.  No estimate on how much that would be.  I return at 3 and call AZ Plumbing and explained I needed to know how much the overnight would be. Two weeks with no hot water is not a pretty picture, spoiled rotten woman that I am.   I'm thinking it could be cheaper and easier to go to Home Depot and get one but it turns out it also needs a converter for the way it threads which has to com from Whirlpool.  Not available anywhere else.  I was told to call Simon, the Supervisor.  I call Simon who asks me to hold while he checks something.  He comes back and says I need to call the number I just called.  I told him I just called it and they told me to call him.  He says "Hold on while I check."  He comes back and says a dispatcher will call shortly.

The dispather calls 30 minutes later and says the overnight will be $30 but it is too late to overnight it today and it will go out tomorrow.  Reluctantly I give my credit card.  Why do I have to pay for the shipping when it is something the plumbing company should carry?  I am to call when the part arrives at my house.  Is this sounding familiar?  Holy moly! 
I insist that the dispatcher arrange that when I call with the newly arrived part, a technician be available to put the part in on Friday.  She sounds very skeptical but agrees to make a note.
I DO NOT want to go through the weekend with no hot water! 

Tomorrow the electrician is to return with the light kit to fix the ceiling fan.  Wanna take bets on how that is going to go?

1 comment:

Babs said...

AND, you think by TELLING them they have to do something that it will get done? Lordy honey, you need to come spend three months with me.......where it happens when it happens......whenever that is?
You need to find a neighborhood handy man and get rid of this silly company. Seriously........
Love ya, hang in there.
B