Fresh Air Concepts

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They gave me an appointment the same day I called them. They showed up in the window they said they would, and fixed the problem. 
I have used Fresh Air Concepts several times now over the last six years. Each time they were professional , punctual, and did the work properly, and their pricing is fair.  This last fix was just to repair a leaking AC unit, But I have had them over to replace a heat pump also.  I would highly recommend them.

After soliciting proposals from seven HVAC contractors in the Baltimore area I settled on FAC to undertake a large project of installing central air in our three-level 100+ year-old townhome in Bolton Hill.  Joe, the owner, came out to give me a quote.  Upon inspecting the home he made a recommendation and then sat at my dining room table for about 15 minutes and delivered a quote on the spot.  It was far from the cheapest, but it was the most complete and FAC was the only provider I met who also offered and factored drywall service into the quote.  Another factor in our decision was that FAC is large enough that they have a relationship with Carrier where they can offer financing that makes a project as large as this even possible on a budget.  He agreed to 12 months same as cash which only made our decision that much easier.
Upon signing the contract the commencement date was quickly arranged and Joe arrived with his team who would be dedicated to our project.  They were courteous, considerate and informed me any time there were changes to the schedule.  They also left the workspace as clean as when they started.  This was important because the project took about a month to complete, and with a project of this size and workers in your house every day it could be a nusciance if the house and workspace were not cleaned up.
The main project was completed after about four weeks (I did say it was a big project) and everything worked beautifully.  Since the summer heat has arrived we've called FAC twice to make adjustments to the system.  Both times the same team came out, made recommendations and the end result is a cool and comfortable home.  I also appreciated that Joe said he stands behind his work and after making a major investment he saw to it that we were completely satisfied.

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They have done great.

They installed two new heat pumps and connected them to our furnace, which we use for supplementary heat. They were the most careful in considering all possibilities and explaining their recommendations. We have been very pleased with the system they installed and with their |follow-up service.

We invited 3 companies to come out and give us an estimate
to replace both the gas furnace and the central air conditioning unit. The
first company was one I had known from a previous job, I called asked about the
brands they carried and set the appointment. The sales person was going on 30
min late when I called to find out what happened. He said he misread his
calendar and would be to the house in 15min., 20 min. later he showed up. He
then told me he didn?t carry Carrier, after I was told on the phone they did.
This was a Wednesday morning; he asked if he could have until Monday to deliver
a quote.
The second company is a large local firm who advertises on
TV a lot. They showed up on time and went over the specs. The sales person
never stopped talking, he even talked over me. He went to his truck and
produced his quote in about 20min.
 The third company was
Fresh Air Concepts. The owner, Joe, came out to do the estimate. He was a
little late, but they called to let me know he had a dental emergency and would
still come out that same day if I were available. He came out, went over
everything, sat at my table and worked up a quote.
I had to call the first guy back on Tuesday of the following
week to see where my quote was, that he offered to have ready on Monday.
Needless to say he did not get our contract. He had the lowest price but he was
not bidding the top of the line Carrier units I had asked for.
The second company was 25% higher the Fresh Air.
 We hired Fresh Air Concepts;
they came out a few days later and completed the job in one day.
They covered my floors, both the wood and carpet. The techs
wore booties and swept up after themselves. They were both very friendly and informative.
The entire project was billed as priced with no hidden fees. Overall it was a
very pleasant experience with Fresh Air Concepts.

After the hurricane last year I used Fresh Air Concepts and was extremely pleased. We compared and they had extremely competitive price. Outstanding work. They took the extra time to fix the air handler and didn’t charge extra. They went the extra mile to make me happy. They were timely and provided an excellent installation. I would highly recommend.

We were very satisfied with them!

The initial call was to specifically address the April Aire electronic filter where the blue light was not engaging (indicative of a malfunction according to operator's manual). Provider came out and stated "filter was clogged" and needed replacement.  Filter was then replaced but electronic filter was inoperable. Called Home warranty company for a recall and I then called the company to establish an appointment. Was given an appointment of 19 June between 8 -12. At 12:15 I called the home warranty who then called the provider. Provider gave standard answer that an "emergency surfaced" and would be out there by 1:00 PM (funny how they give you a 4 hour waiting block and then narrow it down to an hour when re-inquired). At 2:00 PM I called my warranty company to inform them that they had not arrived. The warranty company called the provider who stated that there was "NO appointment" scheduled for today (LOL!)....My warranty company verified in fact that there was an appointment but they LIED!..Naturally my claim was escalated to "warranty affairs division" where I am currently waiting for the provider to fullfuill the contract of which they were authorized and PAID to do.
 
Here's the problem: The old adage of "time is money" is applicable to the provider as well as the customer. If you tell me that you will come between the hours of 8-12, you have d*** better well be here. If not, I expect the dispatcher to be PROACTIVE in monitoring service times and keeping in touch with the fielded technicians to ensure they make the service calls scheduled for that day for the waiting periods given to customers. At T-minus one hour or more, if the technician cannot make it, then give the customer the COURTESY of a phone call explaining what is the status. Contrary to popular belief, we customers have things to do and a living to make also.
 
Current Status:
Apart from also reporting them to the BBB on this matter, I was assured that having them dropped as a contractor by my warranty company will be considered since their reputation is judged by the contractors they send. I am currently waiting to see if a new appointment will be scheduled. 

UPDATE: An appointment was given for 12 July between the hours of 8-12. When I called my warranty company they concurred that the appointment is too far out even for a "non-emergency"..Was told that the actual entity who hires this particular contractor will attempt to reschedule a better appointment date or will be given a new provider and these guys DROPPED!

UPDATE 2: The appointment was rescheduled for 8 July between the hours of 8-12. So now i have to put in for 4 hours of leave to attend to this. Once the service is complete I will close out this review.

Called and requested an estimate, Joe who is the owner of the company came out and provided us a great quote on a Carrier system and hot water heater to replace our broken furnace and aging water heater.
He provided the best quote out of the other 2 companies we had contacted, and was much more friendly and went over everything that they would do as part of the replacement.  The other 2 companies had quoted us lower end systems for much more than Joe. It was a no brainer to go with Fresh Air Concepts at this point.  He didn't even take advantage of us considering our furnace as broke and the house was cold when he came to give us the estimate.  
On the install day (very next morning) Joe and two of his installers came out with all the equipment, and Joe went over again what would be changed out and replaced.  A few hours later I had a working furnace, AC and new hot water heater.  The guys were very friendly and did went over the system with me along with preventative maintenance that I can do to keep it running like new.
I would highly recommend Joe and Fresh Air Concepts to anyone looking for the best deal and service.

Everything went really well. My heater went out in the afternoon. I knew somebody that knew Joe and I gave them a call. They were here before the window that they gave me. They were polite and thoughtful. They gave me a full range of options of fixing options, from the barebones to the complete rebuild with the range of expectations to follow. We were able to make an informed decision that we were able to afford. They were able to fix on the spot.

They arrived as expected on time, even early and waited for the appointment time before coming in.  They performed all the work in one day, cleaned up and took me over to the rental house to see if I had any questions or concerns.  In the end, I elected to have one more item installed which they did have on the truck.  It was my choice and not something they tried to sell me.  I asked and it was provided.  The work went well, they cleaned up and they brought their duct cleaning specialist to clean the old drains before the new installation.  I had requested him b/c I had a very bad experience with a duct work deal and found their technician to be honest and reliable.  All in all, the work was superb and effortless. 

It was a good experience. There were no problems.

D+ = not so good.

The office staff was very professional and informative when scheduling the appointment. They offered a reasonably priced annual tune and clean contract. The technician was prompt and professional. He provided a summary of my system's condition and identified a minor repair needed. Overall, it was a great service experience and a sound value.

They did a very good job.  They price was pretty resonable and they were responsive.

They were very efficient, clean and prompt.  They did a good job.  They explained things to me as required for operating the system.  They were good, they weren't the cheapest or most expensive.  They were average. 

Fresh Air Concepts and service provider "John" are A++++ !!
Another vendor was sent by my home warranty company to fix my broken A/C system. This other vendor gave me an appt 10 days after my call, which was a long wait in the heat of summer. That vendor's repairman was here for approx. 4 hours attempting the repair, but system still not working. So, on Wed afternoon 07/20/2011, I looked at Angie's list and found A-rated Fresh Air Concepts. I called to see if they could provide service in my area. I learned that they are approx. 50 mins away and usually do not serve Clarksburg; however, on hearing about my experience so far, he agreed to come THE VERY NEXT DAY to help me. I was so impressed with how kind the gentleman was with whom I spoke - and even though they were coming on the heels of someone else who had not completed the repair -- not once did he make me feel that this would be a problem for them.
Today, Thurs 07/21/2011, service provider John arrived at 9am and promptly got to work. My A/C system is in the attic, and John reported that the coil has multiple Freon leaks and the system was completely frozen. John also found that my attic fan was not working and said the motor might have burned out. This is a separate unit designed to help exhaust heat from the attic when temperatures reach a preset limit and is not a part of the A/C system. He said that his company does not service attic fans, but that it should be reported because these fans can help with wear and tear on the A/C. 
While he allowed the coil to thaw, John checked the ceiling filters for the duct system. He said they are dirty and the kind I had installed should be replaced every 3 months or they could interfere with the cooling. He said we would just leave these out for now. I was a little embarrassed that my filters were so dirty, and even though I know they see everything, I felt the need to explain that I am ill, on chemotherapy and have difficulty with getting to home depot and handling minor repairs such as these that require that I climb a ladder and reach over my head, etc. John said he understood and proceeded to get the A/C unit cooling to temporarily hold me until the coil can be ordered and replaced next week. 
When John brought me the paper to sign showing his work, he explained everything he had done and gave me some good information about my heat pump and system.  Then, he did one of the nicest things I have ever had a repair person do: John asked if he could pick up a box of filters for me and change them out next week when he returns. I was very touched. This is service above and beyond what is expected, and represents the kind of decency and values we don't see in many service providers these days. To me, this said a lot about the kind of young man John is, and the kind of company and supervisory team this must be for him to feel he could offer.  I said I would be very grateful and would gladly reimburse him for the filters and his time and labor. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND FRESH AIR CONCEPTS.  THIS IS TRULY A TEAM THAT UNDERSTANDS THE MEANING OF GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!

This is a superb company. The owner, Joe Haycock, met with me to discuss options and prepare the proposal. He does not use salesmen (who would get a commission). At my request, he prepared proposals for both a geothermal system and a conventional system. His prices for both systems were lower than those of 2 other contractors I had met with previously, and he was proposing better equipment (e.g., 95% furnace instead of 80% in the conventional system). I eventually chose the conventional (non-geo) system.

The installation, which took 3 days (as he predicted), went very smoothly. The owner showed up the first day to introduce the 2 workers (Dave and Brandon) and explain the project to them, then left. The 2 employees were friendly and patient and were happy to answer my questions. I'm pretty handy myself, so I probably discussed the installation in more detail and examined their work more closely than most homeowners would. These guys did an exceptionally neat job in every respect (such as the way they ran all the new lines and made sure everything was neatly clamped). I think they would have done a similarly neat job even if I hadn't been checking. They seemed to care about neatness.

They made the necessary changes in the electrical panel (making sure the breakers were the right amperage and running new lines) as an incidental part of the total job. I think one other company wanted to add a separate charge for that type of work. (Footnote: When I had my AC replaced in my prior house 12 years ago, the installer failed to replace the breaker, something the home inspector discovered when I sold my house a year later.)

They planned the job so that they would start and finish a separate zone each of the first 2 days, so that my AC would be running on each floor when they left for the day. (This was in July.) On the 3d day, they finished the work on the furnace and other matters. At the very end, everything had been cleaned up spotlessly.

I think this company prefers to use all Carrier equipment (except for the Honeywell humidifier), which apparently lets them get better pricing from Carrier.

Overall, I was very pleased.

I was not optimistic at first.  Our service call was from 12 noon to 4:00 pm   I did get 2 phone calls from FAC telling me that they were running late.  Later I learned that John was in Wash DC and had to come all the way to us in Baltimore.  That turned into him showing up at 7:30 pm.  However, he worked diligently to try to find the leak.  He recharged the system with freon and inserted the dye and said to wait for a few days before calling for a follow-up appointment.  Wiser this time, we asked for a first appointment of the day and since it was only a leak check, it should have gone quickly.  John came on time and did a very careful check for leaks.  He finally isolated it within the condenser (inside) part of the AC unit.  He recorded the replacement part number of the condenser and left.  We got a call a few days later to confirm that we wanted the condenser replace and scheduled the work.  John came, changed out the condenser and made sure everything was running smoothly.  Other than the late first appointment, everything went well.  FAC worked with us to solve our AC problem.  I would use them again and consider getting a maintenance agreement for 2 condition checks and priority scheduling should something go wrong with our HVAC unit.

Hottest weekend of the year so far and a holiday weekend to boot.  Our A/C stopped cooling on Sunday.  I called one Angie's List contractor and sent emails and got no return calls.  I recieved a return email that they didn't service my area on Tuesday morning. 

I called FAC on Tuesday around 10am.  I talked to Carol (hope spelling is correct) and she said she should be able to get someone out that afternoon.  They called when the person was on their way.  Around 2pm.   Joe arrived, we talked about the symptoms and he almost immediately isolated the problem to a clogged discharged line or bad condensation pump.  He tested the pump and then shot pressurized nitrogen down the discharge and I was quite chilly about 30 minutes later.   He explained that the pump wasn't discharging the water fast enough and that by design the motor shuts off the A/C unit to prevent water backing up around the internal unit.  I did not know that. 

He check the coolant pressure and pointed out some things to watch for down the road.  All in all, it was about an 1hr. 

Thank God it turned out to be minor repairs.  But I was very pleased with the customer and technical service.  I would definitely use them again. 

We selected Fresh Air Concepts to service the HVAC system in our new house from the Carrier web site. The technician who came was great! Not only did he do a thorough job of checking the upstairs and downstairs systems, but he also answered all of our questions about how the system functioned.

Very satisfied. Owner came out to provide the estimate and answer questions. Very straight forward, no sales gimics. Did not try to sell unneeded extras like air purifiers, etc. Installation crew did a nice job, did not leave any mess. My neighbor was impressed by their price and also used them.

My previous report covered the installation. In the service call the technician was honest about my not needing a new replacement pad for my central humidifier. He missed a chance to sell me something I did not need. He demonstrated how I could take care of the system myself for some minor maintenance and helped me evaluate the older system in my rental unit.