Any HVAC contractor who knows their stuff will tell you if you live within 5 miles of salt water, you should have an A/C unit with a coated coil to help it last longer so the salt air doesn't corrode the unit quickly. WE LIVE TEO BLOCKS FROM SAN DIEGO BAY AND TARPY SAID NOTHING ABOUT THIS AND INSTALLED A NON-COATED UNIT.
We found out two years after the fact of our $11,000 downtown San Diego condo new air conditioner installation by Tarpy. As you can see by the price, we weren't trying to go cheap (and we got the more expensive model of the two they offered us) - so another few hundred or a thousand dollars to get a coated coil version to last as long as possible would easily have been something we would have opted for HAD WE BEEN ADVISED....BUT NO!!!! They never said a word - completely irresponsible for a contractor that we paid a ton of money to and trusted to sell us the right equipment for our location.
They work in the greater San Diego area - they should know units close to ocean water should have a coated coil!!!!! NO EXCUSES!!! Last year, our son-in-law asked if ours was coated, as he is in the commercial end of HVAC, (two years after installation) and I wasn't sure as it was not noted on our paperwork. So I emailed Tarpy and asked if they could look up whether it was coated or not - and that I realized I had never got the operator's manual about my A/C unit and could they please provide me one, I only had the installation instructions. I RECEIVED THE BIGGEST RUN AROUND!!!! I NEVER GOT AN ANSWER NOR THE MANUAL.
I would write and get replies like - "I sent your question to the manager" - or "We are really busy, they will be in touch" - or just no answer at all. The final straw was the reply that they have been really busy with new customers and installs and it would be a bit before they got to me. I WAS AN EXISTING CUSTOMER, I HAD HAD THEM DO ANNUAL A/C INSPECTIONS (also on my furnace) - AND I WASN'T AS IMPORTANT AS THEIR NEW SALES CUSTOMERS!!! So, keeping a current customer happy is not a priority to them??!!?? BAD BUSINESS!!!
It was very telling that they kept evading giving me an answer, since they realized they sold me the wrong type of unit. So I hired a different company to come out and do an inspection/preventive maintenance on our unit and they were awesome. But before I had them come out, I asked what type of coil they would suggest if we needed a new one and they said because of our location to salt water that it SHOULD BE A COATED COIL UNIT....[duh]!!!!!
They did an inspection and said the coil was already showing signs of wear (after just two years!!!) and they took photos and cleaned up what they could and wrapped some exposed cables. BOTTOM LINE...we paid a boatload of money to have this unit installed and now we will have to have a new unit put in within 5-10 years, versus a correctly coated unit that could have lasted us up to 20 years. TARPY WILL BE COSTING US MONEY IN THE FUTURE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO SPEND SO SOON!!!
Why were we not sold a coated coil unit? Lots of cities are within 5 miles of the ocean - should Tarpy not work on places that close if they don't know who should have a coated coil and who shouldn't???
BE VERY CAREFUL IF YOU LIVE WITHIN 5 MILES OF SALTWATER AND WHO YOU USE AS YOUR CONTRACTOR. IF THEY DON'T RECOMMEND A COATED COIL - SHOW THEM THE DOOR AND FIND A CONTRACTOR THAT KNOWS THEIR STUFF - FOR US, THAT WAS *NOT* TARPY!!!!
But the insult and reason to stay away from them is that they never had the guts to admit they were wrong, I tried for weeks and weeks just to talk to someone and get an answer, but I was given the first class run around. They were cowards and wouldn't be honest and talk with me.
It's way too late for me now, but not for you if you haven't used them. You want a company who stands behind their products, does the right thing the first time (and if they make a mistake, then admit it and make it right), one who doesn't give you the run around and never answer you, and who values you AFTER the sale and still treats you as a valuable customer and gives you some priority.
1 review 