Oct 16, 2009 9:20 pm US/Pacific
Call Kurtis: Nailed
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ―
Two women from West Sacramento found something very unusual, a nail sticking out of their air conditioner. And when they think the company that put it there wouldn't take responsibility, they called Kurtis.
"You always hear the nail gun going off"
Sandy Merino and Liz Steele say they've heard the piercing noise for weeks. Right on the other side of their back yard fence Discovery Homes is building a neighborhood. One afternoon in late August they walked out back to find a nail in their air conditioner. Sandy says:
"We noticed there was this huge nail that was stuck through the outside condensing unit."
They left the nail there and have been afraid to use the AC since. They called out a
Repairman to see if it was damaged, who determined;
"The coil is pierced it cannot be repaired. To replace the condensing unit is $2210.00."
Sandy and Liz say the repairman told them to leave the nail in there or Freon would leak out. Liz and Sandy are certain that nail in their padlocked yard must have come from the Discovery Home Project.
"I mean there's just no way that a child or teenager would be able to throw a nail."
Sandy sent the estimate to the builder. They sent someone out to take a look. Liz was there.
"He saw it and he pulled it out. I was like "oh my God" after we had an air conditioner person come out and indicated to leave it there."
Then the risk management company, Northstate Risk Management, sent a letter on behalf of Discovery Homes to Sandy saying;
"The type of nail in question was a framing nail…Construction in the adjacent area to your residence are well past the framing stages… It was not possible for our operations to have caused such damages."
Sandy was shocked.
"I really thought it wasn't going to be a big issue."
We contacted Northstate Risk Management, and wanted to see if they could even confirm if that type of nail was used in their project. A woman on the phone told us quote;
"I don't care and we have no comment."
We tried working with Discovery Homes site superintendent Joe Griffen, who also refused to talk with us. Sandy doesn't think her and Liz are asking for much.
"I just want it to work and make sure it's safe to turn on."
We have since had them file a complaint with the Contractors State License Board. The CSBL has opened a case.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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