James A Wheat & Sons Inc

I used James A Wheat and Sons for many years as my HVAC maintenance company. In the beginning they were good - punctual and responsive. I was one of their Eagle Maintenance Agreement customers. THey used to call when it was time to schedule siemi-annula maintenance visits. That stopped. The last three times I scheduled visits with them I had the appointments rescheduled 3 times. This is unacceptable. On each occasion I waited at home during the window given. Each time I was notified past the window time that the technician was not coming due to an emergency elsewhere. I did not renew my agreement and have changed providers.My contract included maintenance of my gas fireplace. The maintenance was performed poorly. I was told I needed to install a new gas log. The adjustments made were never quite right. I hired a different company. I did not need a new gas log; I needed an extensive tune-up and cleaning. For a fraction of the cost James A Wheat and Sons charged, I now have a fully functioning attractive gas fireplace. In short, I would not recommend this company. Several neighbors in my court have had the same experiences, especially the rescheduled appointments.

The good news is that my fireplace is now working. I have to acknowledge that the tech agreed to instruct the current tenant on how to use the remote. He also checked all the pilot lights in the house to make sure none had become extinguished when he replaced the solid gas pipe with the flexible one. What would I do differently? 1) Get a second opinion before allowing him to replace the gas pipe in this relatively new townhouse. Take the loss for the initial visit fee rather than pay for repairs that were unnecessary 2) Insist that he exclude the accessible control box as the source of the problem before tearing out the whole unit to do diagnostics. 3) Not pay for a maintenance plan.

Still awaiting after a week for contact

After our emergency call to Michael at Wheat & Sons, they came out within an hour to deal with the sewage back-up in our basement. They snaked out the sewer lines to over 75 feet, and the problem appeared to be solved -- although the technician said that snaking the pipe further than 75 feet would require equipment that he did not have on his truck at that time. Again, the problem appeared to be taken care of completely. Two days later, we discovered another sewage back-up in our basement and called Derrick at Wheat who dispatched two technicians within a couple of hours. (Anyone who has dealt with plumbing companies knows this response time was truly remarkable.) The two technicians worked (really WORKED) for three hours, removing toilets and snaking the line out to over 115 feet. Now the problem seems is taken care of. We cannot say enough good things about Wheat's professionalism and service and highly recommend them.

The technician/plumber sent for the original call was professional, experienced and forthcoming in answering owners' questions. He explained what his inspection consisted of and his findings. I was very pleased with his services. He also included in his report a list of other services that he recommended be done, all of which had been discussed in detail with me. The plumber diagnosed a need to drain the water heater and make minor repairs to a toilet. A separate report is made of these services. If this had been the end of the story, I would have rated the company as excellent. However: Two days after the work was completed I was contacted by another plumber wishing to perfoirm the inspection paid for by the ANgie List Deal. The individual who contacted me was rough, rude and accusing me of not living up to my engagements. It took me two more calls to the form to get this plumber's ticket canceled. Twice in January I received follow up calls to get the services performed, one including a letter telling me I had failed to follow up and had given them a bad address/phone number. When I called re this letter, the phone was answered by the individual who sent kme the letter, brash and rude.He also refused to give the name of his supervisor or to put me through to him. Even though the letter stated they did not have my correct address and phone, the person who answered was able to pull it up at once. He then told me he had corrected the problem, that I would not be receiving more mail and ended the conversation. These unacceptable interactions with the administrative side of the business caused me to rate my overall experience, professionalism and as fair, a mixture of 5 for the plumber who came and 0 for the follow yup contacts initiated by the company. I will probably not use this company again.

The technician arrived promptly. I showed him my two fireplaces. They both operate by remote control and one log set had a dirty pilot and the pilot wasn't staying lit. He cleaned out the pilot and the fireplace was up and running. The flame was uneven in that set -- the flame was too high on the right side. The technician loosened the stone but the flame didn't even out. He recommended a rebuild/refurbish for the unit. I also bought a monthly service agreement for both fireplace units. He plans to return in two days to rebuild / refurbish that gas log set. He will dismantle the gas logs allowing access to the entire unit. Then he will brush and clean off logs, remove sand or vermiculite, and clean the burner assembly/pilot assembly, oxygen depletion sensor, reassemble and install new sand or vermiculite and reinstall logs with a final check of operation.

They were really prompt, very efficient, showed up when they said they would and charged what they said they would do. I liked all of that about them.

They were very professional. They were on time and did free estimates. They were also very clear and friendly.

They are good. A family business. Our toilet was stopped up and wouldn't work well. It was a high end toilet and he wanted $100 to replace the flapper. The part was $65. He then said the drain was slow in the bathroom and wanted $250 and I said no. We payed for the toilet. He sat in his truck and sent us a long email that he also sent us and his boss a long email saying that customer refused and that I had said I could fix the sink in about 15 minutes and I fixed it in about five minutes. There was just some hair down under the trap and has worked fine ever since. They wanted $250 for that job. The flapper he charged us $65 for the part is on the internet for about $20 each and took him five minutes to put it in. What I want to say is that they are very exspensive for what they did. It was $100 to replace the flapper in my TOTO toilet that they claim was a high end toilet. We poured some cleaner in there six months ago and it has worked fine ever since. He was prompt and polite, just very ridiculously high priced. No charge to come out, just an additional $100 to fix the flapper. Their estimate to clean the trap was over $250 and my complain is that they hardly looked at it and said it would cost $250. A professional would take the trap off and then see what all needed to be done.

I had a leak that was flooding my basement every time I used the washing machine. I called the company and they made an appointment for me the following day. They asked that I call after 8am to get a more accurate estimate of the time my appointment would be. They told me that baring any unforseen problems, the plumber would arrive sometime after 10am. At 9:45am I received a call from the plumber saying he would arrive in 20 minutes. The person who came to fix the leak was very professional. He put covers on his shoes before entering so he would not dirty the carpets. He quickly found the problem and fixed it. It required that he move the washing machine and put it back after he had done the work. He explained exactly what the problem was and what he had done to fix it. He was personable, polite, and cleaned up after he finished. We have used this company in the past to replace a heat pump, to do minor plumbing work, and to unclog drains. We have always been very pleased with the work they do and call them every time we have a plumbing or heating problem.

I called Wheat and sons and got an appointment for about 2 weeks later. They said they couldn't give me a time and that I should call back on the day of the appointment to get a more specific time. I forgot to call back, but mid afternoon someone called and said they were about half hour away and could come by. The technician who came was polite and neat; he was wearing a company shirt and he put booties over his shoes. He examined the fireplace and said that there was a bad thermopile. He quoted me a price of $410 for the repair or $480 if I did the repair and sign up for a service agreement. I was shocked at the price, so didn't go through with it. I've replaced a thermopile on my water heater before and it was a simple matter of screwing in a part, so I thought it $410 was pretty steep. I told the tech that I would try to replace it myself, but if it didn't work, would he come back and do the repair without charging me a separate visit fee ($100)? He said he couldn't do that. I asked him to look at my bedroom fireplace before he left, but he said that would cost another $100 so I declined. I ended up paying him $100 for the visit. The tech was helpful in that he explained that it wasn't that complicated to replace the thermopile, but he also said it was difficult to get the part. A google search revealed that you can get them at most hardware stores for $30-$50. Overall, the company seemed competent, but $410 to replace a thermopile is exorbitant. I also would have appreciated if they could have given me a specific appointment time on the day I called, not the day the tech. was going to come out. I understand that $100 service fee, but I think for that fee, he could have at least taken a quick look at the second fireplace.

The job went smoothly. Everyone was polite and professional. There was no mess. The explained all aspets of the work and answered all questions. They were always on time and the job was staarted and completed on schedule. This is the way all home improvement and repair should go.

We have a "hybrid" heating system, in that a heat exchanger has been installed about 10 years ago to enable the existing boiler to provide heat to a new addition. A problem had arisen, and the new part of the house was not getting heat. When we called the office to request service, the guy who answered the phone was very professional and helpful. We could have submitted the service request as an emergency, but we decided not to incur that additional expense. Jason, our technician, arrived within the appointment window and was able to diagnose the problem immediately. The valve head for the new part had failed, which resulted in the addition not getting heat. He provided a very "user-friendly" explanation of the situation. Unfortunately, he didn't have the required part; so he had to come back the next day....but that was fine with us. Jason arrived on time the next day and installed the replacement part very quickly. He explained that there were 2 ways to structure the bill (the more expensive way would provide an extended warranty period). We chose the less expensive option, which we wouldn't have even thought to ask about had Jason not mentioned it. We are Eagle Agreement customers....have been for several years. It's a great plan with a great company. We highly recommend both!

Twenty year old system required replacement. Wheat & Sons provided most detailed estimate of all vendors I solicited for quote. Explanation of various systems and options indicated complete knowledge of products and install process. This was the only contractor that detailed the energy rebates available as well as certification and inspection process. Price was competitive with other contractors although they did not provide the same detail for complete comparison. Installations completed job in a cramped attic space under extremely hot conditions. They experienced minor damage to ceiling which was quickly and completely repaired. This was one of the best experiences I have had with a service provider. I would definitely use them again.

I had forgotten to schedule our fall/winter furnace service. I call the company and they were able to schedule me on the date I wanted which was nice. The technician showed up on time and conducted what seemed to me a very thorough check and service. He spent approximately one hour testing the furnace which is a lot longer than any other company has spent. After the service was over, he provided some additional recommended services/repairs but did not push them on me. In the end, since our furnace is nearing the end of its service life I passed on these additional services. I will definitely use this company again; however, I do wish they would email or call you to remind you to schedule the service which you have already paid for as part of the yearly plan.

I like them because they are punctual and professional. They can do everything and they have a wide range of services. They do things from installation to yearly maintenance of the heating and cooling systems. They offer a yearly maintenance contract which is $420. That covers my heat pump, my gas furnace and my water heater. That’s two yearly inspections. They are a little bit pricey but it’s worth it. I will absolutely use their services again in the future.

I just moved into my house and found out that the pinhole gas leak in my fireplace had still not been fixed by the previous owner. Instead of messing with the old vendor I decided to have an expert company come out and fix it along with give me an analysis of the gas fireplace. After much research I chose James A. Wheat & Sons, Inc and I am glad that I did. Not only did they fix the fireplace gas leak but installed a much need damper clamp. They also did an evaluation of the fireplace and gave me options to add more features (like a remote to turn off and on) and they told me that my logs were still good suggested that I replace my sand and other accessories. After doing such a great and quick job in fixing the leak?I then decided to have them ?rejuvenate? the fireplace and they made it look like new for a few dollars. The young man from James A. Wheat & Sons, Inc. was on time, professional, and very knowledgeable. I would highly recommend James A. Wheat & Sons, Inc for fireplace work and any other services that they provide.

Problem was described by phone. Wheat sent a representative to examine two slow-emptying toilets.

This is an overall evaluation, based on dozens of visits over many years. I appreciate the scheduling support to set up appointments that work best for me, and phone calls to alert me to the exact arrival time, with updates if there are unexpected delays. The maintenance visits keep all units operating well - tightening loosened faucets, thorough cleaning, etc. After the most recent HVAC inspection, the technician emailed me that night to double check that he had returned the thermostat to my desired temperatures (he had). But it shows he was still thinking about that call later in the day, hoping he had not forgotten anything.

No problems to report. Saw some good reviews on this company and went with them because they were able to schedule my checkup a lot sooner than some of the other larger companies. Robert arrived on time and conducted a thorough inspection of our HVAC unit and A/C compressor. Recommended a handful of services for the unit; I chose to skip the coil cleaning but did choose to add coolant. Service price is probably comparable to most HVAC companies. Coolant was expensive but I did not get the impression I was paying more than any other company would charge. I would recommend this company in the future without hesitation.

After an initial call setup a week previous to my visit, where Chris was very helpful on the phone when discussing my problems and telling me the $125 assessment fee, i felt that this would be a good company to go with. I informed chris that the unit was on my roof. The serviceman was 3 hours late, only to call and then tell me he would be unable to service my house because the technician didnt have a ladder. Then he said it would immediately become a two man job to have another person come and spot the ladder, adding an additional $100 to just the assessment, even if no work was done at all bringing it to $225 before any work was done at all. I canceled the appointment and will look for another provider.

The technician arrived as scheduled and promptly put covers on his shoes as soon as he entered the house. Since it's still a fairly new house (to us), I very much appreciated his being so considerate. He did a thorough inspection of both fireplaces and walked me through all of his findings and his recommendations. Because one of them kept setting off the smoke detector, it was clear that it needed a thorough cleaning. He disputed the quote I had received earlier for $100 for both diagnostics but since I ended up having work done, it was a moot point. I did buy the service agreement, which I wasn't necessarily inclined to do, but the price differential between the work with and without the service agreement made it clear that purchasing the service agreement would be worth it. He was able to do the work that same day which was terrific. After an initial cleaning, the smoke detector still went off, so he did additional cleaning to the logs which solved the problem. He also explained how the remote control works and how to use them as an additional heating source which has made a world of difference in the house. I would absolutely use James A. Wheat & Sons again for future service work for our gas fireplaces!

They were very nice and did a thorough check of our HVAC unit to make sure nothing was broken. I would use them again in the future.

I had mixed feelings about this company. There are multiple points to this story. First, a plumber came out because I wanted a quick check of some minor issues the home inspector pointed out. The charge was $35 which was very reasonable. He adjusted/loosened some water shut off valves that had become too tight. He then gave an estimate on what it would cost to replace these valves and/or add new shut off valves in the main bathroom, half bath, under the wet bar sink and under the kitchen sink. The estimate was for more than $700. That seems like a lot to replace valves. But I got the information I asked for. Next, ad HVAC crew came out to inspect my gas fireplace and give an estimate on repairing and/or replacing a through-the-wall GE heat pump and AC unit in the family room, the motor of which appeared to have burned out the night before when we turned it on (it is an old system). So two parts to this story. They inspected the fireplace. The charge was $100, which I thought was reasonable. They knew what to do with a gas fireplace, which as I understand, is not always the case with general fireplace/chimney cleaning companies. But they did not clean or offer to clean the logs and embers and that wasn't included in the inspection fee. A cleaning, I was told, would cost $500, which seemed exorbitant. But they said they highly recommended the cleaning. I could lock in the lower rate of 300 something dollars for the cleaning if I signed a contract for them to come out and inspect the thing once or twice a year. I didn't bite. I later went on line and found out that even the dumbest home dummy among us (which includes my spouse and myself who are new to the ways of suburban living) could easily clean the fireplace ourselves with a brush and a vacuum cleaner. So that was a turn off for me. As for the wall unit heat pump and AC (and me being a new dummy homeowner), they told me it would cost $600 to repair the thing and that it wasn't worth it because the unit was so old. I agreed. What would a new unit be? Well, I was told that GE doesn't make these models anymore, that I really needed to get a more energy efficient split duct system -- which would run from $2,700 to $4,000. Ouch. Keep in mind this is a room that just needs a little extra heat or cold now and then, and only for a couple of hours a day/night. Plus, we have an old furnace for the main part of the house that could go any time and I need to reserve the big bucks for that. I made this clear -- along with the fact that I am currently unemployed and didn't feel comfortable making that kind of investment right now. But, I was told, I should really have one of the managers come out and give a more accurate estimate. OK. And they did not charge me a separate fee for looking at the HAVC unit (then again, they really didn't do much on that). The manager promptly followed up and came out a few days later. He was very professional and courteous -- again, the estimate was up in the range quoted by the serviceman. OK, if that's what these things cost, fine. But, as I found out on-line later, one can still buy from Home Depot or elsewhere similar wall unit heat pump/AC unit for well under $1,000 and have a handyman install it for a fee. So in the end, I felt like they just wanted to sell a big ticket item and were to some extent trying to mislead me into thinking that wall units were so obsolete that they weren't being made anymore and that this other system was my only choice. They weren't really listening to my needs, preferences, and financial situation and giving me clear options from which to choose. I know this provider comes highly rated, so maybe this is my own ignorance and/or maybe there was a communication problem/misunderstanding, but that's how I perceived it.

This is the second time that I used Wheat & Sons (the first was for plumbing) and I would highly recommend them for pluming or furnace/AC installation. The sales representative who came for the estimate was professional and took a lot of time to answer my questions. The price was fair, and the quality of the work was outstanding. The technicians who installed the equipment were professional (and did not not make a mess). Overall I am very satisfied with the work.