JW Plumbing, Heating & Air

I had an original 1950's heating unit that was still functional, but a bit quirky. When the old unit had an issue, we contacted JW Heating to come and fix it. The person who did the work was knowledgeable and professional. He also indicated that his fix was a temporary fix, and that the unit was probably due for replacement. He asked my permission to have his company send someone to do an estimate for replacing the unit and I agreed. A couple of days later, Jeff Williams called and then come out for an estimate. He spent 2 hours developing and walking me through his estimate (he actually sat in my home to do it). He was clearly proud of his company's work, and took time to educate me on what quality work looks like, which was appreciated (this was my first time replacing a heater). He left the estimate and an information packet with me for consideration. I took time to get a couple of other estimates, but each of those experiences was not as strong as my experience with Jeff. The only issue was his estimate was slightly higher than my budget. A few weeks later, I called Jeff, explained that I wanted to work with his company but was concerned about the budget. He worked with me to bring the cost down to my budget, and we scheduled a day for the work to start. Hoping to take advantage of the federal tax incentives expiring at the end of 2010, we ended up having to schedule the work the week before Christmas. Since I have young children and relatives visiting/staying at our home, I was concerned about the possibility of not having heat Christmas weekend. Jeff assured me that he would make sure we had heat. Turns out his crew (Jose and Mike) were personable yet professional. When there were delays related to delivery of equipment/parts, they explained the issues and how they would work around them. They touched base with me when they needed to (questions re: where to add vents, etc) and focused on their work/left me to my work the rest of the time. And best of all, I had heat for the holiday weekend! Jeff even made it for the final inspection, and to wrap up with me. On top of having a working heating unit that is quietly tucked away in my attic, I really valued the professionalism, courtesy and friendly service of JW Heating. I would highly recommend them to anyone seeking this service.

The team came on time every day, was polite, cleaned-up daily, was professional and really knew their stuff. Jeff, the company owner, came for 2 hours to describe the job and quote a price and also came during the job to check on how it was progressing. He came afterwards to double check the work. As it was done with permits, a City inspector had to come out and approve the work....While it hasn't been warm enough for the a/c to be used, the heating and air filtration appear to work just fine. The equipment is from RUUD, one of the best makers of heating and cooling equipment.

I live in a Spanish house built in the twenties. I had a very old forced air heating system, and no air conditioning. The old ducts had traces of asbetos, and the entire heating/ furnace area at the back of my garage looked like a death trap. Jeff and his company did a superb job installing an entirely new heating, air, and air purifying system, both in my home and separate office area. They made sure everything they did worked aesthetically with the look of the house. The garage furnace area now looks amazing - like a Lear Jet. When the inspector came to check out the work, all he could say was "Wow. Just wow." He was as impressed as I was! After I called them for an estimate,Ted personally came to my house to go over every detail with me. He was prompt, and followed up with the estimate very quickly. The final payment was very close to the estimate. The two "Joe's" (plus another fellow whose name escapes me) who did the actual work were efficient, courteous, and cleaned up after themselves to the point of leaving things far better than they found them. They kept me informed every step of the way, and when there was an issue with access to the living room, for example, no problem, they just dug a tunnel into the back area to make it all work. I have had to call them a few times since to adjust the vents and make sure the electrical permits were completed, and every time they have been completely courteous and prompt and professional. Oh, and they filled out all the rebate forms for me, to make sure I would get any refunds available. I wish there was a grade above A, because I'd give it to them! I've never had an experience like this with any contractor. I feel lucky I live in the same city. And my house is toasty warm now.

Jeff was incredibly patient and responsive to our many questions. The installers, Joe and Ramon, were wonderful, efficient, friendly, trust worthy and went way beyond the scope of their job to be helpful. While not the least expensive bid, we got the best of service and our new heating and a/c works beautifully.

Jeff Williams, the owner, personally came and inspected the house and system and delivered a quote, which was about 35% less than what two other "big name" vendors had quoted. We delayed going ahead for a year but finally decided to take advantage of the expiring tax credits. While the final price rose a bit compared to the year-earlier quote it was still reasonable. Jeff's crew was very professional and took care not to dirty anything in the house. After installing the unit we discovered it made a lot of noise. Jeff responded by bringing a rep from the manufacturer of the equipment who identified and fixed the problem on the spot. Everything now works great and we're looking forward to lower electrical bills as a result of installing Energy Star rated equipment. Jeff's responsiveness and personal attention to detail left us with a lasting good impression; in fact we don't think we've ever had a more favorable experience with a contractor.

This is the best experience I have had with a home improvement contractor!! Customer service and attention were exceptional from the very beginning and from everyone involved! After struggling to get clear answers on costs, job details, and info. on those tricky rebates from other ac companies, I decided to try one more and called JW. I am very thankful I did. George came to give me an estimate within a day of my call and spent almost two hours answering my many specific questions and going over specific details of the job with me so I knew exactly what was going to take place and how much everything was going to cost. He also promptly responded to additional questions I had after the meeting by phone and e-mail and was here during installation. Mike and Jose also did a very good and extremely NEAT job installing everything. They were also very conscientious in explaining what they were doing every step of the way and asking my preferences for placement, etc. before they did anything. I was also pleasantly surprised to receive calls from the owner Jeff during the process who checked in and was also very involved to the end. When a small discrepancy arouse they addressed it immediately and fairly. Lastly, Michelle worked tirelessly inhelping me get all the information together and organized for applicable rebates. I was very impressed by the amount of time, attention and professional knowledge EVERYONE at JW provided throughout the entire process. Thanks JW!!!

They came out the day after our initial call to assess the situation. They returned the next day to install a new unit. They also discovered that the original wiring was incorrect (causing heat to come on when AC was on), and so made changes to the configuration. Very pleased with their level of professionalism and communication.

This company was a nightmare. First of all, as I later discovered, I didn't really need a new unit. They sold me a high-efficiency unit w/o disclosing that it would not be highly efficient in my house due to inaccessible ductwork. The estimate said that building and safety permits were included. They added a clause to the estimate that said that duct testing, if required, was additional. This basically amounts to fraud as Title 24 of the CA code of regulations requires that when a new A/C unit is installed, the contractor must have an independent third party HERS rater verify the refrigerant charge measurement to ensure code compliance. This independent verification is required before the city of LA will issue a permit. So the "if required" statement in the estimate is utter BS, because the testing is required by law. After my new unit failed inspection because the refrigerant charge hadn't been tested and because they had used a wooden platform to house the heater, another code violation, JW said they'd arrange for testing at a cost of over $800. That sounded quite high, so I called a couple of companies I found on the internet. The first two I called both quoted me less than $300 for the test, and they told me that if there was inaccessible ductwork I would automatically pass the test, which I verified for myself with the city. JW refused to pay this cost. After I called them on the price, they lowered the quote to $450. I ended up arranging for the test myself for $150 less. The excuse the owner, Jeff, gave me for not including the 3d party testing in the estimate was that only 1 out of 6 inspectors insist on the testing. Even if this is true, which I doubt, it's fraudulent not to tell clients it's a legal requirement and they should be prepared for the expense. Jeff said that if he had to pay for my system to be tested it would put him out of business. The heater barely worked at first and made a horrible racket. Also, JW sold me an air filter for the system. They tried, but failed, to sell me a unit that would supposedly kill bacteria and spores, but which my allergist says is also complete BS. George from JW said to run the unti 24/7, but whenever I ran it with the heater, it cooled the house. The thermostat would be set to go up to 72 an hour before I got home from work, but the house would be at 62. It took 3 additional visits from JW, with 4 hour windows, so I had to miss work, for them to determine that the button for the air filter also turned the A/C on. After they finally got the new unit working, my home burglar alarm broke and wouldn't stop beeping. I finally had to disconnect the battery. I figured I was just having bad appliance karma but finally broke down and paid the $200 to have ADT come out and look it. The cause of the alarm malfunction? JW had unplugged my alarm while installing the heater and not plugged it back in, something that wasn't obvious to me because the outlet is located in the furnace closet and partially blocked by the new unit. Hey guys -- you unplug something, either plug it back in or tell the owner (who is, BTW, a middle-aged woman). The kicker to the whole experience is that George keeps calling me because he thinks he forgot to collect for the cost of the air filter, and he keeps asking ME to look up MY records and check. Isn't it the company's responsibility to establish if I underpaid? I paid in full, plus $300 for the testing that was legally required for the "included" permit and $200 for a visit from ADT that should never have been needed (and would have been more but the ADT repair guy felt sorry for me and knocked the bill down by $50). Not to mention the missed days of work, the days without heat, the day wasted waiting for ADT, and the endless phone calls listen to George lie about what he discussed with me and Jeff whine about LA City inspectors who insist on work being done to code and hearing him make excuses about his charges. Plus if the unit ever doesn't work, after leaving this review I'm not exactly going to be able to trust JW to fix it. However, people should know that this company is not honest and, if the owner is to be believed (which he isn't), is having financial difficulties so why would you want to hire them? The only reason I'm not giving this company an "F" is that the heater seems to be working at long last. For now. This is one of the worst contractors I have ever used and it makes me question Angie's List. Avoid this company like the plague.

I had needed for years to replace old furnaces and old vents in an old house, but had postponed it thinking I could get by. Last spring I decided to get estimates for a whole new heating system, and found JW Heating and Air. My estimate was provided by the owner, who is hands-on in all work, and was lower and more detailed and complete than the others I received. I hired Jeff Williams of JW and the work done was absolutely wonderful in every respect--including solving some very difficult problems of vent routes and placements. Now that winter has come, and a cold one for Los Angeles, I bless Jeff Williams and his company every time I turn on the heat and I get immediate, clean, odor-free, totally efficient heat. Never spent money more worthwhile than this, and so sorry I waited so long to do it!!

Jeff and his team (Joe and Ramon) were terrific to work with. Extremely professional and efficient, they did a great job and made what could have been a messy process very clean and easy. Jeff was great about helping us decide whether to go with a zoned furnace for our two-story house. They sub-contracted the asbestos abatement first, then took out the old furnace and replaced it with new. The hole they cut for the new intake air vent (in our dining room) was very clean and neat. A week after they had finished, we asked if they could move the condensation drain tube from one location to another (it was pouring water right off the driveway in an unsightly location), and they came back and did it without any problem. Also, the PVC carbon monoxide vent tube somehow got knocked over during the recent storm, and they came out and re-secured it promptly. (I'd suggest discussing with Jeff where these tubes and outputs will be before they get started, also ask him about the noise that the furnace exhaust makes.) Jeff was always responsive and patient with all our questions. Great to work with.

My central heater (electrical) went on the blink over Thanksgiving weekend. JW Heating and Air sent out a technician on Dec. 8. I was very happy with the lady answering the phone. She was very polite and accomodating. However, the technician was not able to fix the heat. His first diagnosis was that it was the unit on the roof. After spending ~1 hour up there, the heat still didn't work. He said that it was the heat pump, but that he couldn't fix it. Seems to me that if you are a heating company, you should be able to fix the heater, or at least know someone who could. Neither was the case. On top of that, I was charged $120, and the technician left with the heater still not working!

Accepted the Angie's List special deal for this tune-up since no professional had looked at our heater since we bought the house in 2001. The gentleman came out on schedule, was very pleasant, explained how things worked that we didn't understand, and went deep into the heater to do the "tune-up". Since then the heater has worked fine.

they were excellent. truly. jeff completely "got" what our family was going through and he knew how to resolve OUR problem, not just install anew system. he really tailored it every step of the way to our family's concerns. they worked with us on time and price and they were punctual and very professional. highly recommend.

JW did an excellent job from estimate to project completion to follow-up. I would definitely use them again and would recommend them to anyone needing HVAC services.

The sales call was quick, smart, and organized - he had a computer with him and printed my estimate on-site. We got personal service from the owner, Jeff, who he went out of his way to make our scheduling needs fit his and assisted with the property inspection by providing ladders suitable for the inspector to access our furnace and a/c unit. The technicians were incredibly friendly, fast, and thorough, and the work they did was fantastic. They cleaned up any mess they made -- amazingly there was hardly any -- and left no stone unturned. We were thrilled and would use them again in a heartbeat. Except we suspect we won't have to, because they did such a good job.

Was given estimate for new heating system. Expensive. Was never given any other option, eg asbestos removal.

Excellent service! Jeff Williams, the owner of the company, personally came to inspect the furnaces and provide repair alternatives. His crew arrived on time, communicated effectively, performed the work competently, and left the work site clean. Key Environmental, the asbestos-removal subcontractor, also performed well. The furnaces are working well.

Jeff and his crew did a great job. They were on time, very clean, quite, and respectful. The job included custom fabrication of metal platforms for the units, and the use of a crane to lift the units on to the roof of our two story house. Jeff was always available on the phone to answer any questions. Jeff's was one of the lowest bids, and the only contractor who included the cost of a permit. The city inspector was impressed with the quality of the work, and so were we.

Jeff (the owner) responded to my request for an estimate immediately. He had an excellent presentation, with pictures of other units he had installed. His bid was very close to the highest bid and considerably more than the lowest bid, which we considered spuriously low. He scheduled us on two consecutive days, as soon as possible because he knew our tenants were eager to have the job done quickly. His crew was very professional. They covered their shoes and the floors to prevent damage and cleaned up very well afterward. The job was completed on Friday and they forgot to turn on the gas to the house when they left. As soon as our tenants notified us (on Saturday morning), I called Jeff and he arranged for one of his crew to come on Saturday to turn on the gas and relight the pilot lights. Jeff was very apologetic and offered us a free maintenance inspection as recompense. He arranged a speedy inspection, which resulted in complete approval. It was a real pleasure to work with Jeff and his crew and we would recommend him to anyone. Thank you, Jeff and thank your crew for their professionalism and their friendliness and courtesy.

Jeff (the owner) spent two hours educating me on all of the possible A/C options, he was very thorough and professional. His installation team was on time, knowledgeable, and diligent. They did a meticulous and thorough job and Jeff was very responsive, following up on the installation to ensure it was done right.

Jeff and his crew did a complete rebuild of all the HVAC ducting in my house. I was experiencing very poor circulation which prompted my call to JW. When Jeff came out to survey my ducts he saw that I had multiple issues(from leakage in the attic to insufficient duct size) causing the circulation problems. Over 2 days Jeff's crew removed all the old ducting and installed a complete new system of ducts. I could not be happier with the service I recieved from JW Heating and Air. From the first time he came over for an estimate to when his crew completed the job, everything was professional, on-time and on budget. GREAT JOB!!!

I contacted JW Heating & Air after another Angies List contractor serviced my rooftop air conditioning and heating unit without notifying me it was 23 years old and that it had a cracked firebox and was leaking gas into my house. Jeff arrived on time and did an entire walkthrough of my house. I asked him to quote me the services he would suggest to a family member. Jeff suggested a new energy efficient rooftop unit and new ducting. Additionally, he would run a vent through a bedroom that was not vented. I was impressed with Jeff's professionalism and attention to detail. Jeff also provided his license, insurance, and referral information during our initial meeting. The install occurred over two days. Shaun and Ramon were terrific; they were very punctual, courteous, and hard working. The crew sealed my roof opening by the end of the first day (Friday) which was extremely important since it rained over the weekend. The new unit was installed by end of day Monday. I highly recommend Jeff and his team - they are honest, professional, and reliable. Thank You!!

We took advantage of an Angie's List special to have JW Heating do a full furnace tune-up and service for $74. Stefan came out at the appointed time and spent at least 2 hours checking, testing, and tuning up the furnace. The furnace hasn't been serviced in 5 years - since it was installed. He fixed a lot of problems and got it working perfectly. This service was well worth the price. Plus the furnace is located in a small, claustrophobic basement accessed by a ladder. Stephan wasn't phased at all by the uncomfortable location. He recommended two projects, one of which was installation of an automatic earthquake shut-off valve for the heater. We declined because we have an earthquake shut-off valve at the gas line. He also recommended correcting a potentially dangerous electrical problem that had been rigged by the company that installed the heater. Unbeknownst to us, the electrical supply to the heater was supplied by a fraying extension cord. We agreed to this recommendation at a cost of $360. Stefan came out about a week later and ran an electrical supply power line to the heater, re-routed it away from the heating compartment, and brought it up to code. He labeled the breaker at the panel. The electrical work took several hours. He also threw in some other repairs such as installation of a new on/off switch and removal of asbestos around the ducting. Stefan was very prompt, professional, and knowledgeable about the heater. We are extremely pleased with the work. I had originally called the company that installed the heater to come out and service it but they were flaky and cancelled the appointment twice. I am glad they did and will continue to use JW Heating in the future.

The repair man knew nothing about old floor furnaces, despite the company having assured me that their expertise included them. He was very nice and polite but he could not diagnose the problem! I told him the gas company said it was the thermostat. He said it couldn't be but that he had no idea what the problem was or how to fix it. So I paid $89 for a service call from a person with an inadequate background. I called Sears and they bypassed the thermostat, which had quit working, and got the furnace functioning.

I needed my furnace replaced and after having 3 estimates done, all from Angie's List, I selected JW Heating and Air. I was impressed, while having the estimate done by the owner, Jeff. His techs. were just as professional as he was and the whole experience was refreshing. No longer will I need to search for a company the next time I need to have my furnace repaired. As a matter of fact, I plan on having them install a central AC unit for my upstairs in the near future.By far, this has been the best experience I have had with a contractor, and as I said earlier, refreshing.