HVAC firm's $93 drain special led to $30,000 repair pitches and a $700,000 settlement

Officials said excavation was not needed and the sewer lines could have been cleared without digging up customers' property.

Pennsylvania homeowners who answered a $93 sewer-line promotion were allegedly steered toward repair estimates of “up to $30,000 or more,” with Attorney General Dave Sunday describing the offer as bait.

Under a settlement, a Bridgeville-based home services company and related defendants must pay $700,000 in restitution over allegations that they pushed unnecessary repairs on customers.

What to know

State Attorney General Dave Sunday said a home services company, a related plumbing and heating business, two owners and two former technicians agreed to resolve claims involving alleged deceptive sales tactics.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the agreement calls for $700,000 in consumer restitution, $50,000 in court costs and $250,000 in suspended civil penalties.

Officials focused on the company’s “$93 or Free Clog Crusher Special,” saying customers who called about the promotion were often told the clog could not be cleared with a snake and instead needed excavation that could cost “up to $30,000 or more.”

Sunday said independent follow-up evaluations reached the opposite conclusion, finding that “excavation work was unnecessary and that the sewer lines could, in fact, have been cleared without digging up their properties.”

The attorney general’s office also said technicians used safety concerns to sell other costly work, telling some customers they had gas leaks or cracked furnace parts. Outside reviewers later disputed those findings, including some customers’ own natural gas utilities.

Additional details

What began as a $93 drain-clearing visit sometimes turned into excavation proposals that could disturb customers’ property and leave them with much higher bills than expected, according to the attorney general.

The settlement also names two former technicians for alleged conduct inside customers’ homes. Both men are barred from plumbing work for five years.

Company representatives declined to comment on the settlement. The attorney general’s announcement said assistant chief deputy attorney general Jill T. Ambrose handled the case.

What changes are required?

In addition to the restitution fund for affected consumers, the settlement requires the company to pay court costs and keeps suspended civil penalties in place if it fails to comply.

The company must also change how it evaluates sewer problems and recommends repairs.

The settlement says technicians who sell excavation or hydro-jetting services must hold the National Association of Sewer Service Companies’ Lateral Assessment Certification Program credential.

More context

Homeowners elsewhere have reported similar experiences that started with low-cost service calls and escalated into expensive repair pitches. Those accounts involve routine plumbing or HVAC visits that turn into disputed diagnoses, surprise charges or replacement recommendations.

• A homeowner dealing with a drain clog instead received a $13,000 AC replacement quote for a three-year-old system.

• In Texas, an $80 HVAC tune-up ended with a $30,000 ductwork estimate that shocked a homeowner.

• After a $90 maintenance visit, a customer was later urged to accept a $9,000 replacement proposal.

• What started as an AC repair visit became a $20,000 iPad sales pitch after a recharge.

• A laundry sink snaking job that began at $220 ended with a $491 bill for one hour of work.