Fed Mandated Gov PUI regulator

[jerw]

Can anyone explain what a Federally Mandated Gov PUI regulator is and is there somewhere I can find this information? I'm thinking a local company is giving me a run around on a fee they charged me for. I've tried googling this PUI regulator and come up with nothing. It took over 6 calls with Home Depot who in turn talked with the company they contracted to do the work. The contractor who did the work took forever to finally break down a $258 fee and finally inform me and Home Depot that the charge was for a Federally mandated Gov pressure PUI regulator. The guy in charge of the contracting company that I talked to via a 3 way phone call, (me, home depot rep and him) couldn't really explain it and finally said it was just a flat fee they charged and that it could include travel, etc. Then after many calls from home depot, they finally said they talked to someone at the contractors company who told him it was for Fed mandated PUI regulator. The total installation fee was for $871.62. The electric hot water heater cost is included in that total ($296). So with labor, tax, parts and the $298 PUI regulator it brought the installation fee to $575.62. I'm just trying to understand what exactly this regulator is. I have a well so my water pressure is regulated before it comes into the house. I'm wondering if Home Depot got the PUI part of that info from the contractor wrong and instead they meant PSI regulator? And are they even necessary if my water source is on a well with a regulator on the tank before it gets to the house? Sadly I know nothing about plumbing so I'm hoping someone knowledgeable here can explain this to me. I appreciate any info you can give me.

Jeri

 

[Otahyoni]

Do you have a picture of this regulator?

This sounds very suspicious to me....

 

[jerw]

No, not even sure where this regulator was installed. The installation went smoothly, about two hours. I didn't hang over the guy's shoulder as to be honest I wouldn't have known what he was doing anyway. I've also been talking to a guy I know who used to live here and he was a plumber and his comment to me was "I think you got taken." He said he'd never heard of this regulator or any law for it. I didn't get the itemized break down of the installation until I checked my e-mail right after the installer left. The rest of the charges seemed fine, labor, parts, tax, etc. but this $258 charge made absolutely no sense and the guy from the company I talked with via a 3 way call from Home Depot couldn't really give me an answer either. It was the numerous calls from Home Depot that finally led to the PUI regulator explanation and now it seems no one else knows what this is either. I guess it's time to call Home Depot again. The people from the company out of Tucson, AZ are hard to understand on a good day a because of their accents (Russian?).

 

[jerw]

I'm thinking Home Depot got the PUI regulator messed up and surely the guy said PSI regulator. But even then, I'm on a well and there is a PSI regulator on the holding tank. Would I even need this on the hot water heater?

 

[Chris]

I to have never heard of this. Hopefully a plumber will chime in and give advice.

 

[jerw]

I pulled the panel from the cubby hole where the hot water heater is and took some pictures of everything but I see nothing else in there other than the release valve. I checked and took pictures of all the pipes and there doesn't appear to be any other valve of any kind in there other that could be a PSI regulator as I doubt it's so tiny I would be able to see it. I'm attaching pictures of the unit and the pipes. This all just stinks to high heaven to me:

 

[Otahyoni]

It is my opinion that you've been had....

All i see in the pics are pipes.

 

[havasu]

I'm wondering if the galvanized nipples are the one way check valves? They are between the flexible copper lines and the top of the tank. Is this what they might be referring to? When I install them, I believe they are $13 a pair so if this is them, as Otah says, "You got duped!"

 

[speedbump]

I'm not a plumber either, but you have been had.
I would have the Home Depot check to see if these people they sent out are even licensed plumbers. If not, get on them.

 

[jerw]

Well, I'm waiting for a call from "Shawn" the last person I talked to from Home Depot. He was the one who apparently talked to someone in charge of this contracting company. This is when Shawn was told it was a "PUI regulator" which was the $258 charge. Once I talk with Shawn again, I'll tell him I can send pictures of the water heater and pipe work that was done. I want to be sure he doesn't tell the contractor right off the bat that there is no "regulator" seen anywhere in the hot water heater setup as that will give him time to come up with another explanation. I've already been told two different reasons for this $258 and the PUI regulator (which of course we know there is no known critter) was the last story I was told by Shawn. I would prefer they then tell Shawn that they installed a regulator (PSI or PUI) then I can ask them where exactly they installed it. My plumber friend asked me if they could have installed it under the house. It could have been, but the guy would have had to ask me where the access to under the house was and he didn't ask me. I doubt seriously that this guy removed an under house access panel, crawled under the house, found the pipe coming up into the house and then installed a regulator. I would have heard him or noticed that he was gone for awhile.

For now I'm just waiting to hear back from Home Depot which apparently won't be till the first of the week. If I don't hear anything Monday I will really start rattling their cage. Home Depot has been good about this so far but of course I'm also still seeing that $258 charge on my bill. I'll send an update here if anything gets solved on this problem.

I appreciate all your comments on this issue. Sadly I'm also thinking this contractor group is thinking I'm a woman alone and what do I know about plumbing. Well I don't know a lot about it but I do know when something stinks to high heaven and this one is smelling pretty bad. Getting more than one explanation of this $258 charge really has me thinking they charging me for something didn't do. They are a fairly well known group and are not only here in AZ. They are a Bulgarian run company, no wonder I couldn't understand them well as all of their accents are extremely heavy and at the time I was thinking it sounded Russian. There home base here in AZ is Mesa AZ but apparently they have another office in Tucson as this is where the installer drove from. (60 miles)

 

[havasu]

Keep us informed. I dislike companies who take advantage of others, especially the elderly and/or women. Car service repairmen and home repair are high on this list!

 

[speedbump]

Don't forget Water Softener and Vacuum Cleaner salesmen/women.

 

[havasu]

Duly noted SB! Hay, why are you knocking my 2000 dollar Kirby!

 

[Chris]

I have a 1600 dollar Tri Star.

 

[speedbump]

Duly noted SB! Hay, why are you knocking my 2000 dollar Kirby!

You must have driven a hard bargain with that salesman. They usually want about $5000.00 for one. And that's not with the spray paint attachment for painting your car.

 

[Chris]

The kirby guy came to my house and from the get go I said I already had an expensive vacumn with a lifetime warranty and also had no carpet at all in the house so I don't need or want one. He insisted on giving his presentation and started at around 2 or 3 grand and by the time he left he was at 600 bucks and I still didn't want it. He thought the thing would sell itself and I would realize all the other uses and trash my Tri Satr which is an excellent vacumn as well.

 

[havasu]

My friend and former cop got sucked into buying the Kirby. It originally was being sold for $2500 but since this con man said it was his floor sample, he could have it for the unheard of price of $900. I give him crap all the time for being duped but he does love it.

 

[speedbump]

I bought my Wife a used Kirby for $75.00 about 35 years ago. She hated it. Even though it was a brute at cleaning the floors, she said it was too heavy and it wore her out to push it around.

 

[jerw]

I'll trade both you guys a PUI regulator for one of those vacumns !! Sure it only costs $258 but after my research I've found they are so rare, there's none to be had anywhere else!!!

 

[havasu]

At least there are some similarities between the two. What happened to you sucks, but so does a vacuum cleaner!