A valley woman says she can't believe what she found during a recent visit to a friend's house. She knew something had to be done, and she needed help fast.
So, she reached out to Contact 13's Call For Action volunteers.
"I came over to visit them, and found out they were living in a home that was 96 degrees inside the house," says Pamela Lewis.
It was last month when the air conditioning went out inside this Las Vegas home. Pamela Lewis says her friend Shawn Thibodeau and his parents called their home warranty company but weren't getting any help.
"They were getting the runaround. And Shawn said well the people told him that they were going to be in here such and such a day and time. There was no show," says Pamela.
A frustrating situation, since Shawn may have been able to diagnose the issue. But he can't reach the A/C unit. Shawn's a quadriplegic.
"With the unit being on the roof, I can't get on the roof. And my parents, my dad is 74 and with diabetes and C.O.P.D. and asthma, he can't get on the roof," says Shawn.
Shawn says the oppressive heat made it hard to sleep. So after nearly 2 weeks with no air, exhaustion started setting in. Pamela made numerous calls to try and help but says she got one excuse after another.
"It was either department was not talking to department, or there were just people who were lackadaisical. Certainly, people I didn't get any sense at any time cared," says Pamela.
That's when Pamela picked up the phone and reached out to Contact 13's Call For Action.
"I called Contact 13 because I know you all would care," says Pamela.
Pamela spoke with one of our volunteers, who delivered results.
"He called the company and he knew who to talk to, and was able to talk to people I couldn't, and got the job done quick," says Pamela.
In the end, the entire air conditioning unit was replaced. Shawn says he couldn't be happier.
So here's the Contact 13 bottom line. When you need a repair, it's a good idea to contact your home warranty company in writing.
That way there's record of your request. Many companies offer an email address.
If they aren't cooperating, file a complaint with Nevada's Division of Insurance.
