WARNING: Failed diagnosis, poor communication, and refusal to take responsibility.
Copperhead Plumbing charged me $300 for a diagnosis that missed the actual problem, left my tenant without hot water for three weeks, and cost me nearly $1,500 in lost rental income because I had to forgive part of the tenant's rent. When confronted with evidence that their diagnosis was wrong, they refused to refund a penny.
I hired Copperhead after replacing a seven-year-old water heater that had rusted out and whose pilot light wouldn't stay lit. The brand-new replacement had the exact same problem, suggesting the issue might be elsewhere.
Copperhead's technician allegedly checked the system, and Taylor confidently told me the problem was a defective thermopile. Despite my reasonable concerns that a brand-new water heater had the same symptoms as the old one, he insisted they had ruled out other causes. They provided no written diagnostic report or supporting documentation.
After days of delays trying to obtain a repair estimate, I contacted the manufacturer myself. They told me the symptoms were inconsistent with a faulty thermopile and suggested another cause was more likely. Taylor remained confident in Copperhead's diagnosis and suggested an additional $400 inspection, while warning that it might be money wasted. He also said the replacement part would take three weeks to obtain.
I sought a second opinion. Within 20 minutes, another company found and removed a wasps' nest blocking the water heater's exhaust vent--the very vent Copperhead had assured me they checked. The water heater worked immediately and has had no further problems. The other company also provided a proper diagnostic report with photographs.
When I contacted Copperhead, provided photos of the wasps' nest, and requested my $300 back, they claimed they had tried to tell me about the nest but couldn't reach me while I was overseas. That explanation did not match my experience or the communications I received. Even after I challenged their account, they refused to issue a refund.
The bottom line: I paid $300 for a diagnosis another company corrected in 20 minutes, endured three weeks of unresolved problems, and lost nearly $1,500 in rental income by having to reduce my tenant's rent. The other company found the actual problem, fixed it immediately, and provided photographic documentation. Copperhead provided no comparable report and refused to take responsibility for its failed diagnosis.
I would not trust this company with another job. Find a contractor who verifies the problem rather than confidently guessing, documents their findings, and stands behind their work. read more