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John Ray & Sons

About us

Since 1904, John Ray & Sons has been providing reliable delivery of quality fuel products and responsive service to families and businesses across the Capital Region. Whatever your energy needs – heating oil, propane, biofuels, gasoline, on- and off-road diesel, or kerosene – we're here to meet them. And we don't just deliver fuel. We deliver peace of mind. With expert installation and service of top-grade heating and air conditioning equipment. True 24-hour service. From people that deliver on their promises.

Business highlights

Emergency services offered
121 years of experience

Services we offer

Heating & cooling system sales, biodiesel, bioheat, diesel fuel, electric-to-oil conversion, heating oil delivery, heating oil-to-propane conversion, installation & repair, propane delivery

Amenities

Emergency Services

Yes

Free Estimates

Yes

Accepted Payment Methods

  • CreditCard
Reviews
3.924 Reviews
Number of StarsImage of DistributionNumber of Ratings
5
58%
4
13%
3
8%
2
4%
1
17%
Showing 1-24 of 24 reviews
Shawn L.
Jan 2021
1.0
Poor experience. First delivery was competitively priced, then it bumps up and up until I recently (1/15/2021) was delivered 150 gal for 3.459 per gal. I called and asked for their best rate and was told as low as 2.29 (prepay price) while i was billed 3.459 /gal. To make things worse i pay a yearly program loyalty program fee of 150$ for autofill etc. and still don't get a competitive rate. Ridiculous...
Response from John Ray & Sons
"We are very sorry to hear about your recent experience and would like to thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We would love the opportunity to discuss this with you, please message us privately with a direct phone number where you can be reached and a manager will be in touch with you shortly. Regards,"

Robert A.
Aug 2019
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$400
Tech 85 Kurt preformed follow up work that was needed after annual cleaning .30+ years as a customer and as usual very happy with their work
Response from John Ray & Sons
"Thank you for being a loyal John Ray & Sons customer. Our goal is to provide total customer satisfaction and we are happy to hear you are pleased with our services and our technician Kurt. We hope to continue meeting all of your service needs. Best regards, John Ray & Sons"

Allison W.
Jul 2019
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Austin arrived right on time and performed a complete furnace tune up. He re-jetted the burner, replaced the filter, and cleaned the unit. Austin also troubleshot our non-operational A/C for part 2 of the service call. After tracking down the cause he made several recommendations based on pricing/availability/and cost. He was very knowledgeable and pleasant, answering any questions we had or, if he didn't know the answer, recommending people who would.
Response from John Ray & Sons
"Thank you for the thoughtful review! We always appreciate customer feedback and you sharing your experiences with us. Thank you for choosing us as your service provider! Best, John Ray & Sons"

Bertha H.
Jul 2018
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
It went very well after productive conversation

ROBERT W.
Sep 2017
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
unknown

Patricia B.
Jun 2016
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
unknown

Joan T.
Dec 2015
3.0
$400
We had John Ray clean our furnace in the late fall.    We had an oil delivery during the winter and a few days later we were in the back of the house and noticed a tremendous amount of black soot on the siding where the pipe comes out of the house.     We called and they came and didn't explain where the soot had come from and charged me over $400 to clean it.    They also said I had a crack in the furnace and suggested I buy a new furnace.    After speaking to many people about this soot problem I was told that it was very likely due to a bad oil delivery and/or putting the oil in the tank too fast.   I tend to agree.     I had another company clean the furnace this year and they told me I had no crack in the furnace at all and my furnace was fine.   They agreed with the assumption that the problem with the soot was a bad delivery and/or   The furnace is only 12 years old.     Last week I received a bill from John Ray for a new service contract and then other calls about delivering oil.    I don't know why they would automatically renew my service contact without discussing it with me first.   I called and they did promptly remove the charge from my account.

Sandra V.
Jul 2015
2.0
$268
Left the door gasket out of place. Resulted in smoke emitting from the boiler. Nozzle was improperly installed, with the points too far away to properly ignite. We were left with an increasing fuel oil odor in basement. We called another company to remediate all issues.

MARY L.
Jul 2015
4.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
.

MARY L.
Jul 2015
4.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
unknown

Gary B.
Sep 2014
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$700
unknown

Robert J.
Mar 2014
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$8,000
They were very good and I wouldn't hesitate to call them again.

Laura H.
Dec 2013
1.0
$350
These guys have previously sent in a technician who tried to sell me on a very expensive furnace. I stated that I was in no position to buy a new one. He insulted me, and his general behavior was hideous. I asked that he never be sent to my home again. He also locked my basement door (from the inside-downstairs), which necessitated the ire department breaking down my door to open it. The fire department then switched the lock.
Last year, I had my furnace cleaned. Two weeks later, I signed for a service contract. I was assured that this year's cleaning was covered on the contract since I already had the cleaning prior to getting the service contract. Now, this year, I called for my annual cleaning, and wolla! Guess what? They charged for it! Not only did they do this, but a week before, I had a leak. The secretary said that the call was covered under my service contract. The service manager put another call in ahead of mine (that called later that day, and was further away), while water was leaking in my house.
The service guy arrived two hours late, and I had done my best to fix it due to the water. Guess what else they charged me for? A service call, in spite of the fact that I was told it was covered by my contract!
This group is something else; I have been lied to on several occasions, and generally, ripped off. Find someone else who isn't going to rob you blind.

Amy S.
Jul 2013
1.0
$1,800
Buyer beware
There are other heating services around
Do your due diligence


Greg P.
Jan 2013
1.0
$340
Scam artists, stay away!
They are very nice when you call as a potential new customer but their ultimate objective is to lock you into very high fuel prices as a regular customer. When you balk at this because fuel is MUCH cheaper elsewhere they become extremely hostile. Completely unprovoked, the service manager berated and insulted me over the phone because I balked at locking myself into overpriced fuel.
Look for honest provider with ethical business practices.

Kenneth R.
Jan 2013
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$11,000
Sold and installed in under one week and working perfect, new furnace, central air and new propane lines and install.
Job was flawless and perfect.

Kenneth R.
Jun 2012
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$11,000
Super great job very very happy

Edwin O.
Nov 2011
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,400
I've done business with them for quite a few years. They have excellent service on response. I haven't done any price comparison but their service is very good. They are available 24/7. I've had them come out to get my heat going on a cold night and they have been very responsive so I would give them high marks on their responsiveness.

THOMAS O.
Oct 2011
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
I've not got the bill yet so I wouldn't be able to you the price. They are probably one of the better service companies around because I have used a lot of different ones. They are probably better than another company that I use. They have a great service department. They are family owned. They look to please the public. Their prices are competitive if not lower than other places.

S K.
Jul 2011
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$125
They came to tune-up our air conditioner which hadn't been serviced for over 5 years and is over 15 years old.Professional, clean, no problems - really enjoying the AC working properly and efficiently right now in this extreme heat!

Judith B.
Aug 2008
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$3,500
We have been using their services for about twenty five years. If there is a problem, they come out immediately. They are reliable and seem to do good work.

R B.
Jul 2007
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$125
This is an old fashion company. They are always friendly and on time. They are knowledgeable and the price is reasonable. I would recommend them to other people. They are prompt and have a good business.

KATHY K.
Jun 2007
3.0
$4,400
At first when we hired this company, they were very responsive and somewhat professional, but not soon after this whole situation developed into a nightmare. The boiler they installed caught on fire and almost burned our house down, but not before they had numerous men come out to look at repairing its poor performance, most of which would tell us such things as the other guy who came out before them made a mistake and now it is corrected, etc. The next day after this happened, they came out with another new boiler to replace the old one and actually charged us for it. Luckily, our insurance covered the cost. Considering this was a new boiler, we thought that everything would be okay, but this boiler has constant problems as well, most of which the company blames on the water and other ridiculous things. I am just glad it is the summer right now and we don t have to use it.

KATHY K.
Oct 2006
4.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$4,500
Work went well. There have been some problems with the furnace, but they have been very responsive, and they have been resolved.

Licensing

State Contractor License Requirements

All statements concerning insurance, licenses, and bonds are informational only, and are self-reported. Since insurance, licenses and bonds can expire and can be cancelled, homeowners should always check such information for themselves. To find more licensing information for your state, visit our Find Licensing Requirements page.

*Contact business to see additional licenses.

FAQ

John Ray & Sons is currently rated 3.9 overall out of 5.

John Ray & Sons accepts the following forms of payment: CreditCard

Yes, John Ray & Sons offers free project estimates.

No, John Ray & Sons does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.

No, John Ray & Sons does not offer a senior discount.

Yes, John Ray & Sons offers emergency services.

No, John Ray & Sons does not offer warranties.