Francis Home Environment Heating And Air Conditioning

Tim (Sale Consultant), Terry (Installation Technician) and installation crew Dan and Matt provided excellent service. They were professional, courteous, patient (it was a complicated home design they needed to work with), tidy and punctual. They provided us with multiple installation options and they clearly explained the advantages and disadvantages for each. They kept us informed of their progress at each juncture and checked with us to ensure we were satisfied with each step. They exceeded our expectations - 110% satisfied. Thank you for the exceptional experience. Thank you Costco for providing Francis Home
Environment as their subcontractor.

Don and Mauroon arrived on time, were friendly, efficient, competent, thorough and tidy, clean and respectful. Julie's assessment was accurate and impressive, with a very prompt and satisfactory follow-up. Not only would I recommend this company but have done so with great interest by two homeowners in a purchase in the near future. Thank you also to Paul for his quick and simple solution to a curious issue.

I would say my impression from this company is mixed. I was able eventually to get what I wanted but only after a lot of hassles and only because I have some technical knowledge that helped me to argue with their "experts".

After some research in September 2011 I requested a quote from this company for the new installation of an air conditioner. As per their advertising they promised thoroughly review every house specific factors and then advise proper solution. So, I did call to ask somebody to come to do their examination. Instead I was shocked that after just a few very basic questions a person on the phone (who sounded as being in a hurry) just gave me a price verbally and that was it. I was not happy, communicated about this to administration of Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning and, surprisingly and this is plus to them - they reacted, admitted that it was not done right, promised that this is not their normal practice and sent me a specialist. So, he came, left a written quote, but because of the first impression was not good I decided do not order from them.

However, in Feb 2012 I asked a company (without a name) in Costco, under Costco umbrella, to come to give me a quote. Guess what - somebody came from Home Experts. Well... As since they came from Costco, Costco provided warranty, and there was a very good discount from Costco I decided - Ok, everybody does mistakes but as long as they are acting under contract with so reputable company as Costco, they admitted their previous fault, I will hire them. So I did.

Installation was done in March, and due to season it had to be done in two stages - installation comes first than later they should come and fill the system with cooling agent.

Phase 1.
Cons. Installation was done on time, outside unit was installed on a standard concrete plate (about 2") but the plate they did put right on the ground, without gravel pad. It was not stable, was swinging if I touch the unit. So, I requested from them to do what they promised (and they promised they will put good gravel base under the unit). They did not like it but I said I will not sign the work order. At this time a sales person came who seems like was also managing their work. Here is again positive part - he without any questions agreed that it was not right installation, told to workers to put gravel pad and so they did. So, eventually, with arguing but the installation was completed.

They promised that when warm weather comes they will call me, I should not even call them, and their team will come to fill system with coolant.

They never called me.
Warm weather was already in April, but I gave them time until end of May, I think, and then I did call . Service Experts. They promised to send somebody. A person came, did his work, reported to me, and I asked to check system before he leaves. System was not working. He was at our house at least an hour after installation, re-checked pressure, did not find anything wrong, and was trying to tell me stories that this is Ok for the first time, and was trying to escape. To give you some numbers - after 1 hour at least with initial temperature inside the house +26, temperature dropped to +25 and did not want to go down anymore. So, after an hour he eventually agreed that something not right, tried to get signature from me for his work order but did not get one, promised that he will report it immediately to the company and they will call me to decide what to do with the unit. Then he escaped rapidly.

Of course - no calls from the company. I did call several times, eventually found out that my order closed as "everything is Ok, installed".

I have equipment and some knowledge and measured intake and outbound air stream (for air conditioning system there should be specific difference in temperature that shows that air is being cooled). The difference was from from 1 to max 1.5C - it means system did not work at all.

Well, after number of calls and re-calls they sent me another specialist. Now again positive part comes. It was real specialist. He did not talk much in the beginning but just took measurement, then he agreed on the spot that nothing is working, found the issue (not enough pressure in the system), added coolant, and was done in 30 minutes from time he came until he left our house including testing stage. He left a business card and I will for sure write positive review for him (seems like he was subcontractor) when I find it.

Result:
I was able to get from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning what I wanted but with a lot of hassles and only because I has some technical knowledge and was able to argue with reasoning.

Verdict:
I would never again order anything from this company, ever.

Fall 2012 we hired Service Experts to service our furnace and signed up for the AC to be done in the spring as well. When we turned the AC on for the first time we noticed water coming out from under the furnace, so we threw down some towels, turned off the AC and called Service Experts to make an appointment for the Spring AC service. The technician came, we explained the watr issue and let him get to work. When he was finished we asked about the water issue and he said that everything was working properly now. The receipt outlined all the work done, including that the drain line was cleared. It wasn't. We turned on the AC and went about daily life. We were out of the house a lot and a couple of weeks later went downstairs to discover that the basement was soaked and that all the wood flooring was ruined. We called Service Experts and they sent a second Technician in who had to clear the drain line with blasts of compressed nitrogen. The drain line was completely clogged. We had to go through the Insurance Company to get a company in to take up the floor, dry out the basement , check for mold, and replace the floor and baseboards, which took months.
All of this because the first technician didn't do his job properly. Never Again!!

We called service experts when our central AC was not working fairly early on in the season. The first tech who came to diagnose the unit told us it was a faulty pressure switch, and that he would need to order the part (~$200-300 incl install). He said it should only take a few days to come in, and that someone would call us when the part was in to schedule an install date. Ok, fine. We paid for the diagnostic. He told us he would get our receipt from his van, but just took off, never came back to give us our receipt. Whatever. A few days had past, heard nothing. Tried connecting with the service department several times, and kept being told someone would call us back....never did. After about a week and a half of calling, we finally got in touch with someone who told us the part had never been ordered, and they did not even have the necessary ordering info (model, serial number). After providing this info ourselves over the phone, we found out that we would have to wait an additional 2 weeks for the part to arrive, during a heat wave. Wonderful. Part comes in, new tech comes to install it, and first tells us to have the part installed would cost ~$800 as it needed to be welded in (something the previous tech did not mention), then tells us that the pressure switch is not actually the problem, rather it is a refrigerant leak, and the cost of repairing/leak testing/refilling the refrigerant would be min $1200+, assuming we would not need any additional parts. The leak test alone was $400, regardless of how much time it took to find the leak, and their price for refrigerant was ~$150/lb ($633 total just for refrigerant)...complete rip off.

We found a different company through a referral, and it took him only 15 minutes to find the leak, when all was said and done, with labour costs, diagnostic, refrigerant (only $42/lb), the total repair was not even half of what service experts was quoting us.

Do not waste your time and money with this company. The service was terrible, incompetent and dishonest.

Have been using this company now for a while and have been very pleased with their service and professionalism. They are very courteous and knowledgable about all of the products.

They installed our furnace, air filter and an air conditioner. They did the work very professionally and cleaned up very well after the job. They also spent the time to explain how everything ran. They drilled through cement and did an excellent job keeping the mess and destruction to a minimum to get it installed well.

They were really good and helpful. They taught us how to unclog the sink. They also showed us good maintaining tricks. In and out quick however I still got charged for the hour. Overall Was great