Air Specialty Heating & Air Conditioning

About us

If your heater or air conditioner stop working, don’t lose your cool! Turn to Air Specialty Heating & Air Conditioning. Their skilled HVAC experts in Norfolk have the training and experience needed to get the job done right the first time. Established in 1976, their company backs all of their services with over 40 years of experience. Your time and money are valuable, which is why we offer affordable prices and are always prompt on the job. Furthermore, all our expert technicians are courteous, uniformed, and professional. If you’re ready to enjoy the great indoors, call (757) 494-3777 for a service today! 10 employees. No subs. Cost is determined by the job. No travel charges. Extra charge for after hours service. Additional contact name - Justin Mathews. Additional email - [email protected].

Business highlights

Emergency services offered
48 years of experience

Services we offer

Installation and repair of all brands of heating & air conditioning equipment & ductwork.

Amenities

Emergency Services

Yes

Accepted Payment Methods

  • CreditCard
Reviews
4.648 Reviews
Number of StarsImage of DistributionNumber of Ratings
5
83%
4
6%
3
2%
2
2%
1
6%
Showing 26-48 of 48 reviews
Douglas S.
Oct 2011
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Overall, the experience was good. I thought they were a little expensive, but they did good work. They worked on this home before we bought it, so they’ve been working on this home for a lot of years. The technicians were helpful and answered any questions that I had.

William H.
Oct 2011
3.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
unknown

Karen W.
Oct 2011
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
I love them. I’ve been using them for around 20 years. There was a renovation of a large apartment complex going on, and they were performing the heating and a/c change-outs, which was a long time ago, and we’ve been doing business together ever since. They’re fair, honest, and I trust them. They don’t sell anything I don’t need; they don’t try to talk me into replacing anything that can just be repaired. When they do work for me, they always let me know the progress. I’m very happy with their services.

James B.
Jul 2011
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Their service turned out extremely well. They did an excellent job.

William G.
Jul 2011
4.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
It went well. They were never able to figure out what the problem was. They did come out and look a few times, but because they werent able to figure out the problem they did not charge me anything for their visits.

Joanne S.
May 2011
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
They did very good work, and they were extremely knowledgeable. I liked how thorough they were. All of my questions were answered. I’m a business owner, so I tend to scrutinize other companies. That being said, I think Air Specialty was exceptional.

Emilie W.
May 2011
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
I’m satisfied with their service. I'll continue hiring them for regular maintenance.

Julia P.
May 2011
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
I think they are a bunch of crooks. I used them because my warranty company requires me to show I get regular maintenance. Air Specialty fixed the same leak about three times. Then, they told me my unit was shot, and offered to sell me new one. However, my home warranty company was able to come out and fix the problem for only $60.00.

I am adding this addendum to my report.  The company did call me on 1 June, 2011 to address my concerns.  I spoke with the manager who informed me that the technician that performed the previous services was no longer with the company.  The manager wanted to correct the situation and offered in sincerity.  I feel this was a good faith effort and decided to work with them again on my maintenance plan. In the past I was afforded fast and courteous service.  So I will work with them again.

Diane M.
May 2011
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
We really like their service, and we’ll continue to use them in the future.

MARK C.
May 2011
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
They are a good company, and we’re happy with them.

John S.
Jan 2011
1.0
$59
I told the guy the price seemed excessive, and I would shop around. Something just didn't feel right to me. Bill Rodgers, the owner, called me the next morning to explain the cost. I told them to come out the next day to repair the leaks, but something still didn't feel right to me. In the mean time I had someone else re-test, and the problem was found and repaired. I called Air Specialty to cancel, and the owner, Bill Rodgers called me back and told me he had already purchased a $51 permit to have the Gas co. turn my gas on again. NO SUCH PERMIT REQUIRED, and I told him so. He wanted to know how much I was charged for the repairs, and I wouldn't say. Mr. Rodgers then called MY gas company and told them he found many leaks under the house and they should check very carefully when they turn on my gas!!!! He claimed he was worried about my safety -PLEASE!! The gas company ALWAYS re-checks the red tagged items for compliance before turning the gas on again. It is THEIR job. It was definitely not his business to call my gas company under ANY circumstances. How dare he do this to try to cause problems for me because he is upset he didn't get the job. I thought his estimate was too high and with something not feeling right, I didn't trust him to do the work in the first place. I was so right! Beware of this company!!! The owner is very unprofessional and unethical with downright dirty tactics. In over 40 years, I've NEVER had a company behave in this mean, spiteful, and evil way because he didn't get to do a job. My attorney will be contacting him!
Response from Air Specialty Heating & Air Conditioning

"Member, I would like to clarify that I am the quality assurance manager not the owner of Air Specialty. Air Specialty has a legal & moral responsibility to follow city code/law & to protect our customers’ safety. We did not deviate from these responsibilities in regards to your situation in anyway whatsoever. Our goal was never to cause you problems with your gas company. Our actions were solely for your protection. As you hopefully know natural gas is an explosive gas. Our fear was that Columbia Natural Gas only found the faulty gas valve & did not discover the gas leaks under your house that we discovered. That was the ONLY REASON for taking time from our busy schedules to make the extra calls that you unfortunately found so offensive. When I called Columbia Natural Gas the report for your house did not state that any leaks were found & we could not find any evidence that anyone had ever done a leak check. If you had given me the opportunity to explain our actions, this misperception could have been avoided. The Portsmouth city website clearly states & I quote: MECHANICAL/Gas Permits are required for: The installation or replacement of ANY gas lines or gas appliances requires a permit, to include: • Boilers, furnaces, gas pack units and water heaters • Conversion from propane to Natural Gas or Natural Gas to propane • Gas logs, fireplaces • Gas meter relocations • Generators • Pool / hot tub heaters • Space heaters • Commercial fryers, grills, ovens, ranges http://www.portsmouthva.gov/forms/PermitsInspections/CITY%20OF%20PORTSMOUTH%20Permit%20and%20Inspections%20%20DEPA….pdf This requirement mirrors the state mechanical code. Since we were replacing part of your gas line a mechanical/gas permit is required. We did pull a permit that cost us $51 in accordance with this law. If the person that did your repair failed to do the same & Columbia Natural Gas did not require this, you are in violation of state & local code. Since you are getting your attorney to contact us you may also want to get your attorney to contact the city to insure that state & local codes were properly complied with. The requirement to purchase a permit for these repairs is intended to protect you from unqualified contractors doing repairs that don’t meet the state’s standard for your safety. To obtain a permit, a company is required to have a state licensed certified gas fitter on staff. We will cancel our permit & inform the City of Portsmouth that we did not complete work. We will not be liable for any damage or harm that may occur. Hopefully you hired someone who has the proper licenses & certifications to conduct the repairs properly & thoroughly. Gas leaks are dangerous & must be handled with the utmost care. Regards, Bill Rogers Quality Assurance Manager Air Specialty Corporation"


Marina L.
Oct 2010
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
They were excellent in giving me an estimate. Very prompt and responsive. The office called me pretty much right away, explained everything to me, and emailed the estimate as well. They were efficient. We do not know if we will hire them yet for the job, but it was a great experience. The price they gave seemed to be reasonable and they gave an Angie's List discount. Seems to be a very good company to deal with and great customer service.

Brian W.
Sep 2010
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
I met with the owner's son, Jason, who was very knowledgeable and gave me a lot of information about the product and service. He was very impressive and after I hired them two technicians came to install it and were very courteous themselves. They wore booties to not mess the carpet. Anthony and Terry were knowledgeable and professional and they showed up on time. Overall, I had a great experience.

Donna C.
Jul 2010
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Justin and the staff at Air Specialty are a top notch business! I have had the opportunity to have Air Specialty replace multiple HVAC systems on multiple investment properties. In addition to HVAC replacement they have also performed service call for existing units, and designed new systems for new construction. We are completely satisfied with the level of service, attention to detail, and overall value the Air Specialty affords us. We continually only recommend Air Specialty to our friends and associates, who have also enjoyed the same level of service that we have. We no longer shop for HVAC sub contractors. Justin has earned our business and our friendship. Keep up the great work!! Coerse Enterprises LLC

Christopher S.
Jul 2010
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$201
Given the heat wave over the last couple days, was able to respond quickly and was very helpful in explaining problem and short and long-term options.

Dan R.
Jun 2010
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Overall experience with Air Specialty was positive.

James K.
May 2010
3.0
After scheduling an appointment with them I cancelled it after scheduling free estimates from several other companies.
Response from Air Specialty Heating & Air Conditioning

"Air Specialty Corp. gives free estimates for equipment replacement; we do not have free estimates for repairs. Our regular rate for a service call is $69.95 for the drive time and diagnostic; this rate is the same whether we take 5 minutes or 5 hours to find the problem your system is having. We would then quote you on the cost to make repairs where you can either authorize the repairs or not. We have flat rate pricing and if you decided to make the repairs you would not be charged the $69.95 again only the cost for the necessary repairs. If you would like for Air Specialty to give you an estimate to replace your equipment we would be happy to make an appointment for Justin to make a site visit and provide you with the FREE estimate; if you have a service problem that requires a Service Technician, we would also be happy to help you; as always, our rate for a service call is $69.95. We look forward to hearing from you soon."


Thomas W.
May 2010
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$8,312
At the start of the warmer months, I ended up realizing that my 14 yr old heat pump had gone out sometime in the winter. I thought that the heat wasn't being put out as well in the latter parts, but did not realize this was the reason. Anyways I did some research and saw Air Specialty. I gave them a call, and Justin was prompt in coming out to check my current system. While out, he made sure to measure out my residence according to manual J and D standards to make sure I would get a properly fitted unit (you would be surprised how many people won't do this). Once he had the needed information, he went and did the number crunching and then provided me with 3 options in different price/quality ranges. The one I ended up going with was a very highly efficient York Affinity 8T (18SEER/10HSPF) model, which he also informed me currently had a 1200 factory discount. During this time, I was also extremely busy with work, and they were very happy to work around my schedule in order to make sure that I was taken care of. Installation day came, and they were awesome. I myself was not actually there and had family here to let them around the home due to my work schedule. I was told they were very friendly and worked really well. They changed out all my previous lines (a definite must if you are changing from R-22 refrigirent), and made sure I had good airflow throughout the home. The system is great and works awesome! I'm already seeing lower energy costs on the system. Unfortunately I won't be able to enjoy the AC side of the system since I need to leave for a couple of months, but will be able to see the heating aspect of the system fully shine later this year. Will probably be getting with them to install a Honeywell IAQ thermostat when I get back as well to take full advantage of the system they put in. Great work guys, keep it up! PS. For everyone out there, even though I posted a B for the price, I believe the service is well worth it. With Air Specialty you get top-notch work done. Even though the price might be higher than some people's quotes you may receive, the fact that they make sure it is done correctly, you will be gaining that money back in the long run by having a correctly tuned and sized system.

Art R.
May 2010
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Air Speciality stands by their promise to provide service above & beyond the norm. A few weeks ago, our air conditioner decided to quit working during the hottest weekend of the season. I called first thing Monday morning, and a repairman was at our house by noon. He diagnosed and repaired the problem within an hour. We were new customers of Air Speciality, yet we were treated like life-long friends. Technicians and office staff are very friendly, courteous and professional. Their maintenance agreement/program, if you sign up for it, is significantly better and cheaper than that of the competition. I highly recommend Air Specialty Corps to anyone who needs help with their heating and air-conditioning.

Dan R.
Nov 2009
2.0
Our initial impression was very positive and the company seemed very professional. Having to hound down the company just to get a quote though is not the kind of customer service we would expect when dealing with a contract that could cost between $10-15K.

Peggy J.
Oct 2009
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$8,580
We began by interviewing three company representatives. We told each one that we had difficulty heating the family room. One said to reverse the blades of the ceiling fan; another said we needed larger ducts. Justin, from Air Speciality, was the only one who noticed that the duct work was installed incorrectly. Since my husband and I don't trust any company reps, we checked out everything we were told by reading information on reputable, professional websites. Justin was right on about the duct work. He also spent considerable time locating compatible heating and air conditioning systems and presented us with three proposals. We were able to get a $1700 instant rebate from the maunfacturer, $600 from Angie's List, and are eligible for the $1500 tax credit. Justin came to our home twice to answer our questions in addition to responding promptly to phone calls. He definitely has expertise in his field--and patience! The installers showed up on time, worked diligently, cleaned up, and were very polite. Although the weather has been cool and we have not had to use the AC very often, it seems to be working fine. The furnace was turned on when it was first installed and it worked well then. We have no reservations about recommending Air Speciality. I don't think anyone is excited about spending megabucks to replace their heating/AC systems but Air Speciality made a difficult situation much easier and more pleasant.

MARK C.
May 2009
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$8,700
Gave a very polished presentation of the types of heat pump available, and the 3 levels of ductwork that could be installed. Presentation was done at the Norfolk office. This was one of 5 companies that gave us estimates to do the work. Air Specialty was not the lowest, but the company was more confidence inspiring than the one with the lowest estimate. Very friendly, easy to deal with, on time for all appointments. Work was done in a week--as promised. Had to call them back to correct a small fitting problem with one of the vents. They were prompt and happy to oblige. The big problem was cleanup. There was dust all over the second floor of my house; the installers did not catch the dust as it was falling from the holes they cut, and it covered all surfaces. We wanted them to pay for professional cleaning of the hard surfaces, as well as upholstery. We finally agreed to split the cost of the upholstery clean up. I recommend you get clean-up specified in your contract; but I liked the quality of all their other work. I would not hesitate to use them again, and I would recommend them to anyone.

FIJI W.
Apr 2009
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$2,700
Everything went well with installation but I noticed a bit later that my dryer did not work quite as well. They came out to check and noted a clog in the dryer vent in the wall (not part of what they originally did) but they were very courteous in their return and cleared the clog and actually refunded some of the original cost as a courtesy for repair to the dryer. I want to emphasize how courteous and friendly this company is. I highly recommend them.

FIJI W.
Dec 2008
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$199
They are friendly and easy to talk to. They have reasonable prices and they are trustworthy. They will give me suggestions on any repairs. They are neat and clean and cover their shoes in the house.

Mrs. M.
Feb 2008
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$5,380
The installers; Johnny and Terry were very professional and got the job done as scheduled. They cleaned up after themselves and were on time each day. It took 2 and 1/2 days but we had heat the second night. I would highly recommend this company. The sales person Justin; the owners son came out and spent 3 hours with us describing the different duct work and provided us with so much knowledge. He did a thorough job of reviewing what our needs were and recommended three different solutions. We had to reschedule our original date and the co was very flexible. The office staff was always professional, answered all my questions, and provided me with all the necessary paperwork. I am so impressed with this company we intend to ask them to be our yearly maintenance contract for the heating/ac checkups. They also are starting a home improvement section and I intend to use them for my plumbing issue. I can only say wonderful things I'm so glad I found this co on your list.
Response from Air Specialty Heating & Air Conditioning

"THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR KIND REPORT ON AIR SPECIALTY. OUR ENTIRE PROGRAM IS ROOTED IN THE FACT THAT I DIDN'T COME FROM AN HVAC BACKGROUND. MY FAMILY LIVED IN WOODSTOCK FOR 23 YEARS, IN A HOUSE THAT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE AND NOT ECONOMICAL TO HEAT AND COOL. WHEN I ENTERED THE HVAC BUSINESS (MUCH BY MISTAKE, 15 YRS AGO) I USED MY OWN HOUSE TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW TO ENGINEER RIGHTEOUS SOLUTIONS TO OUR COMFORT PROBLEMS NOT TO MENTION THE HIGH COST OF OPERATION. THAT EXERCISE HELPED ME UNDERSTAND THAT HAD I NOT DONE MY OWN SYSTEM I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN HAPPY WITH THE END RESULT. WE ARE SO PLEASED THAT GOING THE EXTRA MILE AND REALLY HELPING YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR CHOICES, HAS YIELDED ONE MORE HAPPY CUSTOMER. YOU ARE OUR BEST SOURCE OF ADVERTISEMENT! WE LOOK FORWARD TO HELPING YOU AGAIN IN THE FUTURE! RANDY L. MATHEWS, PRESIDENT"

Showing 26-48 of 48

Licensing

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FAQ

Air Specialty Heating & Air Conditioning is currently rated 4.6 overall out of 5.
Air Specialty Heating & Air Conditioning accepts the following forms of payment: CreditCard
No, Air Specialty Heating & Air Conditioning does not offer free project estimates.
No, Air Specialty Heating & Air Conditioning does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, Air Specialty Heating & Air Conditioning does not offer a senior discount.
Yes, Air Specialty Heating & Air Conditioning offers emergency services.
No, Air Specialty Heating & Air Conditioning does not offer warranties.