AC service recommendations?

[MMM]

First question.. Is AC service necessary? Our AC units run well and don't have problems. Do we need annual service and checkup?

If so, can anyone of you recommend a company for service and checkup??

BTW, have anyone worked with a company called Admiral AC and Heating? They have been calling us all the time for service and checkup. We are just suspecious with them and don't feel comfortable with telemarkers.

Thanks in advance.

[GREASER]

there is P&M (Im pretty sure thats the name) 75$ and they cleaned the coils and cleaned the crap out of the bottom trap. Its necessary to keep a good system going. The coils get stuff built up and need to be cleaned. If you call someone make sure they actually have employees and not just contracting your call out.

[longhornguy]

Try Arvell Moore. They serviced my AC and it's worked great ever since. Mom and Pop operation out of La Porte, will service anywhere in the city.

[Pumapayam]

Sears treated me well.

[goastros]

I also used a service out of LaPorte (I'm in the Heights) called Finch--they do a wonderful job. You do want to have them out occasionally to clean it up and make sure the drain is still draining properly. We don't do ours on a yearly basis though.

http://www.finchac.com/

[TJones]

ARS is fair and dependable.

[spike95]

A good friend of mine is an AC guy. He has been working on AC since he was in junior high school along-side his stepfather who is also a master tech, so he really knows his stuff. He told me to be sure to have my AC serviced every year and the unit will stay effective for much longer. He serviced my old AC system in the house I just bought and it definitely made a big difference. I always forget the name of his company, but his name is Bryan and his number is 281-704-7935. He usually works on his own and doesn't have a fancy truck or anything, so his prices are likely to be much better than a large company that pays for advertising and brand new vehicles. If you haven't done anything yet, it would be worth it to give him a call.

[Geoff8201]

Be warned, some A/C service people will lie to you and say your system needs a refrigerant charge when it needs little to none. A charged system really shouldn't be prone to leaks unless the lines were soldered poorly, or wasn't charged correctly to begin with (that first charge should be done during time of max load, like August, ideally).

As far as central units go, and you can use the same advice on a smaller scale for window units...

Best thing you can do as an owner is to ensure you're using a decent filter media first and foremost (a cheap filter will equal a dirty coil and inefficient cooling very quickly, but don't break the bank on filters either). 2nd thing is if you have the know how, open your a/c unit up and check the evaporator coil for cleanliness... a simple nylon brush can remove lot of fuzz off the coil surface. Same thing for the condenser unit outside, make sure the coil is free from debris like leaves, mud and grass clippings. It can simply be washed down with a garden hose. Again, on cleanliness, make sure the fan blower on the A/C unit is clean, a dirty blower can cause you to lose CFMs very fast. And lastly, on your central air unit, purchasing a Chem Tab treatment for your Condensate drain pan is a must... or you can keep it as simple as a splash of Clorox every now and then.

If all these things check out and you have problems, then it's time to call in the experts when the possibility of a bad compressor, freon leak, or elecrical malfuntion is there. I would also certainly advise everyone , with a gas central heater, to have their heat exchanger checked prior to winter... dirt can catch fire, and penetrations in the heat exchanger can lead to dangerous Carbon Monoxide entering your home.

[texas911]

ARS.

[inthehotsun]

I've used a guy for a couple of years now named Greg who has his own company ADR. His number is 2813574299.

One of my friends used to live in some condos in midtown and he was one of the AC technicians the managing unit recommended.

He's very honest, dependable, always early to appointments and decent prices.

[niwashikun]

Try Arvell Moore. They serviced my AC and it's worked great ever since. Mom and Pop operation out of La Porte, will service anywhere in the city.

 

 

Caution: Their website is down and they have a "F" rating with BBB. Here's their BBB page: 

http://www.bbb.org/houston/business-reviews/air-conditioning-contractors-and-systems/arvell-moore-air-conditioning-and-heating-inc-in-la-porte-tx-61104/

 

From BBB:

 

"Factors that lowered the rating for Arvell Moore Air Conditioning and Heating, Inc. include:

• 45 complaints filed against business
• Failure to respond to 20 complaints filed against business
• 7 complaints filed against business that were not resolved

According to BBB files, a majority of consumer complaints allege poor customer service issues.  Several complaints stated company representatives refused to return phone calls, verbally abused or insulted consumers, and failed to show up for scheduled appointments.  In many cases, consumers stated they had contacted the company attempting to report a warranty issue.  Appointments would be set, but often technicians would fail to show up and complete the job.  Other complaints have alleged company technicians misidentified equipment malfunctions and recommended the replacement of entire A/C systems when, in fact, systems required only minor to moderate repairs.  The BBB also noted complaints concerning incomplete jobs."

 

-Niwashikun