Homestead Homeowner's A/C Nightmare

Unit keeps leaking into home

Rocco Bruno and his wife are seeing a hot summer get even hotter.

For months, buckets in their Homestead home have been catching water from a new air conditioning unit installed back in May.

Bruno went to America's Economic Air Conditioning Corporation in Miami-Dade and spent $3,500 but Bruno said he's had nothing but trouble.

"We ended up with a really bad installation that's leaking everyday," he said. "We have a bucket in the bedroom catching water everyday, a contractor who doesn't return any of our phone calls."

Monday afternoon, the county sent inspector Amador Barzaga, who took pictures of the leaking unit in the attic and said the air conditioning company didn't get a permit to do the job and did it improperly, violating county codes.

"Due to the fact that there are many parts of the work that are not according to code, some of the water's actually spilling out and causing this ceiling damage," Barzaga said. "There were no permits here.
 
The head of America's Economic Air, Vincente Sanchez said he didn't get a permit because Bruno didn't want one, a claim the homeowner adamantly denies.

One air conditioning expert called the job shoddy and says the unit should not be placed in the attic at all.

Now, right at the peak of the summer season, is when air conditioning units are most vulnerable. Anyone who needs to replace or maintain one for any contractor get references, pay as you go and inspect the work, check to make sure the company has a license, and make sure they have a permit.

Bruno could now be fined because the work was done in his home without a permit and the county has opened an investigation into the job.

The contractor says he came to the house numerous times to try and fix the trouble but couldn't and determined the unit is bad and the manufacturer is at fault, not him.

For more tips on dealing with any contractor go to http://www.miamidade.gov/csd/prepare_for_after_disaster.asp.

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