Local Mailers Target Homeowners
For Water Tank Inspections
September 13, 2005
By Connie Thompson
Video : KOMO 4 NEWS
A local plumbing company hopes you will pay nearly $100 for
a water tank inspection, and it's sending out some pretty
urgent looking postcards to get you to call. Watch Video Video
requires the use of the free QuickTime Player.
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SEATTLE - Should you pay nearly a hundred dollars to have
your hot water tank inspected?
A local plumbing company hopes you will, and it's sending
out some pretty urgent looking postcards to get you to call.
The postcards are hitting mailboxes across the Puget Sound
area. Big red letters on the front exclaim: "Final Notice".
Smaller letters at the bottom of the card read: "Important:
Do not discard."
On the flip-side, highlighted in a black strip reads: "SERVICE
REMINDER" with smaller print regarding a hot water tank
safety inspection.
'Just Wrong'
"I just think the whole thing is wrong!" said Norma
Wilson, one of several area consumers who contacted me.
The cards look official, documenting the exact date and time
the card was supposedly sent. They offer a rebate credit of
$124, with an expiration deadline of Sept. 30.
"As of August 17th, 2005, our records do not indicate
that a hot water tank safety inspection and service has been
performed," the card reads. "This service needs
to be done annually to avoid leakage and component damage."
Norma is furious.
"We've been in this house 48 years and I have never heard
of anybody having to have their hot water tank inspected,"
she said.
Not only that, but Norma and her husband just got a new water
tank 6 months ago!
"I don't know anybody that has 'em inspected, period.
And certainly not annually!"
I called a number of local plumbers and the truth is, while
checking your tank on a regular basis is always a good practice,
you do not need an annual water tank inspection -- and they
say you certainly don't need to pay anyone to do it.
Similar Mailers For Electrical Panels
The cards are nothing more than clever marketing by a company
called PLUMB SERVE and ELECTRO SERVE.
This is the same company I alerted you to earlier this summer,
when they sent out similar mailings for annual electrical
panel inspections. Again, local electricians and city inspectors
say the annual inspections are not necessary.
Unlike earlier mailings, the new mailings identify the name
of the company sending the cards,so consumers know it's a
private company.
Once again, I called Gary Jessen. The postcard says he's the
administrator, but he's actually the owner. Jessen says the
normal cost of the hot water tank inspection is $210. The
$124 rebate with the postcard brings the cost to $93.54 including
tax.
Jessen still defends the cards as a service. He told me in
addition to inspecting the hot water tank, the plumber who
comes out will also offer to inspect the plumbing throughout
the entire house. Other plumbing companies I talked to say
full house inspections are typically a way to find additional
items that need attention and can be added to the bill.
Jessen told me customers who used his service are happy and
he rejects the suggestion that mailings are a misleading scare
tactic.
Norma's not buying it.
"Some people will believe it!" she exclaimed. "And
they'll call and they'll end up spending money they don't
need to spend!"
Satisfactory Record with BBB
The Better Business Bureau shows Plumb Serve and Electro Serve
have a number of complaints over the last 3 years, but the
company gets a satisfactory BBB rating because they resolve
disputes to the Better Business Bureau's satisfaction, even
though consumers are not always happy with the outcome.
Keep in mind: there's nothing illegal here. The mailings just
leave out some of the facts.
The owner tells me he plans to continue the mailings indefinitely.
Hot Water Tank Inspections Not Common
While some plumbing companies I talked said they will come
out and inspect your water heater if requested, for about
$95, they rarely get requests. In fact, some told me they'd
tell you over the phone what to look for -- for free: any
signs of water in the catch pan, or rust around the top or
base of the tank.
Find A Plumber Now, When You Don't Need One
Local plumbers and hot water tank specialists say to avoid
problems with your water tank, the general rule is to replace
your tank every 9 to 12 years. Beyond that, you should always
select a good plumber and electrician before you need one.
Start talking to your friends and neighbors now, and get their
recommendations for a reliable, plumber they're happy with.
That way, you'll know exactly who you're dealing with in an
emergency.
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