Complaint Review: Seal Guard Systems Hal's Millwork Therma Tru Ken Wolfbauer

I purchased three energy efficient, custom, Precision patio doors from Seal Guard Systems for a total price of $15,000. After signing the contract, Seal Guard, told me Precision did not offer the doors in the size I needed and switched the doors to Therma Tru doors. Seal Guard guaranteed the Therma Tru doors as equal quality and efficiency as the Precision doors. The Therma Tru doors, assembled by Hal's Millwork that Seal Guard sold and installed failed. They warped, did not seal correctly and started peeling. There were large gaps between the door and the frames. When I contacted Seal Guard they were not very cooperative. They even said there was no warrantee, when it was clearly listed on the contract.

The Therma Tru doors they installed where no where near the quality of the Precision doors, I had ordered. The Therma Tru doors, Seal Guard substituted and said were of equal quality can be purchased at various retail stores like Lowes for under $1,500 each. Precision doors have to be purchased through specified dealers only. The Precision doors are about $5,000 each.

After contacting the Therm Tru District Manager, I learned the doors Seal Guard switched and installed were not energy effecient. There are definite differences in the quality of the two doors. Precision doors were low E, argon filled and utilize non metal spacers for maximum energy efficiency. They meet Energy Star qualification. They have a U rating under .32. and an SHGC rating less than .29. The Therma Tru doors Seal Guard installed were not low E, not filled with argon gas and use metal spacers. The doors do not meet Energy Star qualification. They have a U rating of .36 and SHGC of .36. There are additional items that substantiate Precision doors as being of higher quality. I believe Seal Guard knew full well the Therma Tru doors were not of the same quality. I believe they purposely misrepresented the quality of the Therma Tru doors and switched them so they could knowingly charge me for expensive custom high quality door, while providing inexpensive low quality doors.

When asked why they could not obtain Precesion Doors, Seal Guard first stated that they were not available in the color requested. When the Precesion Door company was contacted they confirmed this was incorrect and the color was available at the time of order. Then Sealguard changed their tune and said it was the sizes that were not available. The V.P. of Sales for Precesion Doors was contacted and he had a conversation with Kathi Wolfbauer at SealGuard. He informed us they did not make standard doors in those sizes. However, when we noted that the contact said "custom" doors he acknowledged they often custom make doors. He also noted they would have no problem custom making that size and the price I was charged by Seal Guard was more than adequate for custom doors. When he was provided with the actual sizes of the doors the V.P. of Sales informed me they were standard sizes for them and would not have to be custom made. He further acknowledged Kati Wolfbauer at SealGuard had not provided him with the correct sizes. I wonder why? So they had no legitimate reason to switch the order.

Think twice before you do business with these people. I wish somebody would have warned me before I got involved with them.

Anonymous
Plymouth, Minnesota
U.S.A.