Robert L Phillips Plumbing

A Phillips technician came to look at a 2014 Whirlpool water heater, purchased and used by one person only since the date of purchase. The owner was over 85 years old.

The technician quoted a price of $800.00 to replace two elements.

He was told about the history and usage of the owner. He then told me that he always advised a customer to purchase a new one rather than repair one. Price for new / installed water heater was $1300.00.

The only problem was that the valve had been slightly turned towards the off position. $79 for a 5 minute service call.

1-4-2021: Water Heater Repair Issue 1 of 2

On 12-27-2020 I called Choice Home warranty as I did not have hot water, I also mentioned that the breaker switched off (for the water heater) when we turned it back on.

Plumber P. Karatzas from White Glove Piping &;;;;;;;;;;;;;; Drain Service came out, 863-529-****.

He told us the wiring had burned/melted because the electrical on the unit was NOT installed properly, and that a part was missing, a connector, $1.00 cost that would have prevented the wires from melting. Karatzas could not understand why this part was not installed.

He said he was not authorized to fix it, and to call the warranty people, Choice Home Warranties. I paid him the fee, $60. and Choice denied service even though it had been installed by Certified personnel, they could not cover it.

They advised that I contact the plumbers that installed it.

I then called the plumber who installed it incorrectly on 3-3-2018; ROBERT L PHILLIPS PLUMBING CO. 863-533-****; 49 E McLeod Ave, Eagle Lake, FL. 33839. AHS Service Request No.

is: 44656****. I spoke with Brandi at Phillips on 12-29-2020 who confirmed the install, and told me they would send a repair person to evaluate the issue on Jan. 4th 2021, and that Rheem water heater would still be under warranty.(Its a 6 year warranty) she was sure the owner would fix it if it was incorrectly installed.

On Jan. 4th, their Repair person Daniel took a look at it and said, yes, it was improperly installed, that the wires were stretched to their max and that there were gouges on the melted wires due to friction against metal.

PLEASE NOTE: The water heater they installed was much shorter than our original water heater, so he MOUNTED the water heater on small wood blocks of 4 x 4 to try and make the electrical connection reach the wiring! Daniel then spoke with his mgr.

After speaking to Courtney, mgr, he told me that since I did not call them first they could only fix the water heater after the electrical wiring was replaced and corrected by ME. I said, But it was installed incorrectly by you guys! Daniel said that what if the plumber from Choice (who just looked at it and showed us the damage just as Daniel had done.) had damaged it!

I said the Choice plumber did not cause the damage anymore than he had. He said to call the mgr. After several attempts I spoke with Courtney, who said they could not pay for the electrical, but they would fix the water heater if needed.

I asked if they could at least pay for half of the electrical and that I wanted to build a good rapport with them and call on them when I needed plumbing, as we are senior citizens and would like to have reliable contractors to count on and were on a fixed budget. I reminded her that 2 plumbers (including Daniel, their plumber), had admitted that the water heater electrical had NOT been installed properly.

She said it sounded reasonable but that the decision had to be made by the owner, Terri Phillips, and that he would call back.

Terri Phillips called and said that there was only a 30 or 90 day warranty max. on his work, and this was over 2 yrs. I told him about the incorrect installation. Where a part was missing, He said he didnt know about this, that he had not spoken with his tech Daniel yet.

Phillips then said he knew the problem and that it was very easy to correct, would only take a few mins. that he himself could come out and fix it, but that he was not going to do this because it was over 90 days, and he does not know if someone else fiddled with it! That we should have called him first, although I have a home warranty service and didn't know what the problem was?

Then he got rude, kept interrupting me that what if the heater was 10 yrs old, that his tech Daniel (the one he said he had not yet spoken too) told him that I had accused him of doing the damage! I asked him if he was insinuating that I was a liar?

and if this was the way he treated his customers. He told me to get a life, that I was pathetic, and hung up on me.

We then called an electrician to fix our wiring. Crossed Wire in Bartow, FL. When he came out, Joe he said it was definitely installed wrong!

He said the connector mentioned above was missing, He then took pictures of the damage, the burned areas of the wires and other areas that show why the electrical gave out. He said that this problem does not necessarily show up within 90 days, that it can take years depending on usage, family size, etc. He said the wrong size heater was installed and that is why the wires did not reach and were overstretched, and that it was crazy that the heater was elevated on 4 x 4 blocks to try and make it reach! He said the Greenfield connector, (a metal flex connector) was not installed and therefore the wires were unprotected from the heat of the unit and started melting until finally they got gouged as the plastic melted through, and good thing our breaker was working properly and it prevented a fire.

Also, after he fixed the electrical issue, the water heater did not show any other damage and was turned on. We finally had hot water since 12-27!

I expect Phillips Plumbing to take responsibility by paying my electrical fee for the repair, and for my $60. call out fee with Choice Warr. I hope they dont do this to anyone else!

Phillips Plumbing is NOT reliable!!!

The owner is Unprofessional, Disrespectful, Unreliable, and downright Rude! and certainly not someone I want to do business with again!