Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My wife and I loved our experience with Penguin Fireplace for our gas fireplace replacement and remodel. Notable highlights:
1. Sales: patient and responsive communication
Eric Jaramillo did an excellent job educating us on what to consider for our fireplace purchase. As first-time buyers, we needed many, many rounds of Q&A before deciding--and Eric was very patient and helpful in answering our questions (including connecting us to a Mendota rep directly at one point for faster detailed advice).
I especially appreciated how responsive Eric was via email and text. He typically responded within one business day, and often within just a few hours.
2. Installation: top-notch technical expertise
Unfortunately, we ran into a major technical difficulty with installing the direct vent pipe for the Mendota model we chose, due to our three-floor townhouse layout. I was on the verge of giving up and switching to a different fireplace model.
But Charles Mercer reassured us with his confidence that he would figure out a solution ("Don't worry, we can handle problems like this. It's what makes our job interesting!"). It took a bit of time (Charles had to get someone to make a custom connector part)--but Charles and his team delivered! They successfully devised a solution that worked well, without compromising safety or performance. And at no extra cost to us.
Charles was fantastic in explaining all the technical details to me. He communicated everything very clearly, in terms that a non-expert like me could understand. I appreciated how he kept me apprised and engaged throughout the whole process.
3. Follow-up service: great attention to customer satisfaction
A couple weeks after the fireplace was installed, it started failing to ignite. But I was very pleased with the level of support that Penguin provided. They sent out a technician (Ben) quickly to investigate, and fixed the issue after procuring a replacement circuit board. Ben also readily took care of a bunch of small cosmetic issues at my request. The entire customer service experience was very pleasant, attentive, and fast.
----
Overall, I would definitely recommend Penguin Fireplace. While there were a few understandable hiccups and delays, their team provided impeccable service through it all. Of course, we don't buy fireplaces frequently--but if I were in the market again, I'd go to Penguin first for sure.
