Julie O.
12/02/2020 12:00:00 SA
I'll start off by saying that everyone on the phone is super nice. It almost warranted a second star, but sucks-to-suck I guess. Since August, I've had them here too many times because of incompetence and lack of knowledge about how to repair systems.
The story starts with an A/C system that stopped working in August 2020. A $300 repair lasted less than 24 hours and the system stopped working again. The next day a tech indicated the system was too old to fix again (leaked freon, which it didn't do until Casteel touched the system...anyway), and now I needed an new $6K A/C unit. Fine. A few days later (a Friday) and a dent in the wallet, the A/C was installed.
Less than 24 hours after they leave, no cold air. A different technician comes out on a Sunday, and indicated the entire system was faulty and would need to be re-replaced...ugh. But Monday when the original installers came to re-replace the unit, they discovered it was simply a factory fitting that wasn't tight and leaked out the freon...they tightened, re-filled, and everything worked...finally...after 3 day with no A/C from a new system in Georgia! Yeah Casteel!
Now comes Thanksgiving and the cold weather, and my heat isn't working (short cycling, not getting warm in the house). The next day, the Casteel tech said that during the A/C installation, the heating jets were knocked out of alignment and were no longer hitting the flame sensor. Easy fix there, but it also melted a pipe that needed repairs. My house could of burned down!!
He made a temporary repair which allowed the heat to work, and a little over a week later the replacement parts were installed. Less than 12 hours later, no heat again. Another technician came and this time I'm told the problem is the flue needed re-adjusting. But that tech isn't trained in repairing the metal, so ANOTHER tech needs to come out and do that. So I'm sitting 3 days now in freezing weather...house is holding at 55F using the stove and oven, but fish dying, I have health problems etc...totally sucks when you think the people you rely on to help you are as clueless as you...if not more!
Short of it is, unless you have tons of time and patience to deal with techs that are very narrow in scope and lack broad skills (or any it seems at times), go ahead and call Casteel. You'll get to meet the entire team over the course of your repair!
Update: I added a star. Honestly the people on the phone are very sympathetic and polite; not that it helps getting my equipment repaired, but they are nice and friendly people. Secondly, the original technician did come back last night and worked late making sure it was fixed once and for all.