Comfort Pros NJ — Local services in Millstone Township

My service appointment with them (through my home warranty company, AMERICAN HOME SHIELD) was the worst experience of my life. Where do I start?

I needed duct work repaired (pieces were detached) and a leak fixed in my furnace. Tech's came out (Mike and Nick) and then told me they 'didn't DO duct work.' Moreover, Mike informed me that AHS doesn't cover duct work anyway. When I disagreed (because I checked the policy before requesting the service), I was told, "In my 10 years of working with them, I've never known them to cover duct work." Ergo, they ignored the principle reason why they were there. Likewise, they did nothing to inspect the leak, let alone diagnose and fix it.

They DID look at the thermostat and compressor, though. While checking the thermostat, Mike turned it down to 66, and then after checking pressures on the compressor, he purged refrigerant out of the line! (Which is an EPA violation, for starters). As the appointment was concluding, the ONLY OPTIONS I was given were (a) replace the evaporator coil for $3300 out-of-pocket; or (b) get a new system for $5000 out-of-pocket. When I asked how efficient a new system would be, considering the air would still be in the basement due to the DUCT WORK, I was told that was the least of my problems and to tackle it one thing at a time. The tech's left me with a "quote" for suggested work required ... by way of a "new furnace" brochure with the dollar amount hand-written on the front .... and a date deadline for purchasing/scheduling before the price went up.

The day after the service call, my AC wouldn't blow cool air at all. (Hmmmmm. I had cool air before; my problem was the cold air accumulating in the basement). This was of particular concern, as I am a heart patient - since birth - and I don't do well in the heat; it was in the 90's all that week.

I called and had un-GODLY hold times for AHS; when I spoke to a rep, I asked 8 times for a manager or supervisor .... and while they kept me on the line for 90 minutes, I was never transferred. I received an auto-email the following day telling me my service was complete and soliciting my rating. (Really?) I tried Comfort Pros by phone and online contact ... nothing.

I had HAD it. I took it upon myself to find and study HVAC education materials online. Within about 2 days, I diagnosed and fixed the leak, (clog in the drain line); and I troubleshot the air not cooling. Turns out, if you release refrigerant out of the line at the compressor, IT FREEZES THE LINE (including the evaporator coil) rendering the system inoperable. In short, THEY INTENTIONALLY SABOTAGED MY AC!!!!

I managed to get it running again -- which proves that there is absolutely nothing WRONG with the evaporator coil. I cleaned the condenser coil and diverted air to only the ducts that were intact. And guess what. MY HOUSE HAS BEEN COOL and my basement is no longer a freezer!!

I also researched enough to know that -- had I actually NEEDED an evaporator coil -- it would have cost approximately $600-$900 for a system my size. And that's WITHOUT a warranty company covering the customer.

To sum it up, Comfort Pros did not provide me with the services I requested and needed.

They LIED (the warranty company DOES cover duct work, and according to Comfort Pros website, they're EXPERTS in duct repair);

They BROKE THE LAW by purging refrigerant into the air and intentionally SABOTAGING my system.

The only thing they DID give me was a hard-sell for unnecessary work at 82% ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

I have since written the CEO of American Home Shield, terminated my policy, and demanded my $100 deductible be refunded at the same rate - $282.

DO...

Horrible. I ordered an upgraded furnace/air-conditioner through American Home Shield and paid over $5,000 on June 25. I call AHS and Comfort Pros daily and get unsatisfactory responses. American Home Shield says Comfort Pros has the furnace and needs to pick up the condenser at 190 Oberlin Ave. Comfort Pros says they don't pick up; they need the condenser shipped to shop (meaning to them). Last Thursday, AHS said they called Comfort Pros and that I should be getting a call to schedule installation. I called back Comfort Pros and was told there was no record of the call. Comfort Pros told me to call AHS and ask for a supervisor; I did and was told supervisor was not in and she would call me back today. Meanwhile, I'm calling AHS again and am on hold. I don't know which is more infuriating: Being without an air-conditioner during a heat wave or getting conflicting answers from two companies (and being on hold for hours with AHS). In addition, when technician first came to the house to diagnose unit, my daughter was working from home and asked technician to call home phone if he needed her. He didn't, walked through the house while she was engaged in work, and scared her to death when she looked up and he was standing there. UPDATE: The furnace and a/c units were installed on July 20. On Saturday, July 25, I called Comfort Pros' emergency phone number because the a/c unit was leaking. Taylor (she's the only customer-service person you'd want to talk to at Comfort Pros; the other women consistently misinformed me about status of the parts) answered and reached out to Nick S. to come check it out. He arrived a few hours later -- and apologized for all the problems! (I appreciated that!) -- and said it would need a new pump, which collects and channels the condensated water out of the house. He did not have one on his truck, so he ordered one. He also flushed out the vinyl tubing that attaches to the pump and carries the water out; this was to ensure the tubing wasn't blocked, and it wasn't. That night the pond of water grew and got dangerously close to a room with carpeting, so I called back Taylor to see whether someone could buy a new pump (rather than wait for a new order to come in) and install it the next day. I turned off the air-conditioning, got a Shopvac, Bissell carpet cleaner, dehumidifier, fan, and lots of towels to dry out the mess. Taylor said someone would come the next day. Nick arrived around noon on Sunday. Upon removing the pump, which had worked prior to the new installation, Nick saw a crack in it. Also, the new pvc pipe that funneled the water into the pump was pressed flush against the floor of the pump so that any water flow out of it was blocked, causing it to back up and spill out. Nick replaced the pump and put in new pvc pipe, cutting it on an angle this time so it wouldn't end up blocking the water flow. He repeatedly checked for leaks by pouring water into the new pump, and then vacuumed up the mess left on Monday when the furnace and a/c were removed and the new units installed (thousands of little white plastic bits all over the carpet). I also asked him to turn on the new furnace, since that had not been checked after installation to make sure it worked. It did. Before leaving, Nick made sure to ask if anything else needed to be done and if I was happy. So, in summary: If you end up with Comfort Pros, ask to speak only to Taylor for customer service, and if you want professional repair or installation (from someone who cares enough about the company to apologize for others' mistakes), then...

WARNING!! GO ON YELP SEE THEIR REAL REVIEWS !!!!

I recently had a service visit from Comfort Pros, which was arranged through my Home Warranty with American Home Shield. Unfortunately, my experience with them on June 21 left much to be desired.

The service technician, Sergio, arrived late, which was already a bit of a disappointment. Upon inspection, I informed Sergio about the issues with my ductwork, which was leaking air and causing my AC unit line to freeze over. Sergio initially assured me that they would fix any loose work that was accessible and covered under the warranty. However, he later changed his stance and stated that the ductwork repair wasn't covered, despite its obvious need for attention.

Moreover, Sergio checked the coolant and informed me that he could only increase it to 50psi, as anything beyond that wasn't covered under the contract. Later on, while discussing the issue inside my home, he made this contradictory statement in front of a police officer who happened to be a friend of mine. It was an uncomfortable situation, to say the least.

To make matters worse, Sergio's final suggestion was that I handle the repair myself by providing me with two zip ties and some tape. This unprofessional and dismissive approach was highly disappointing, given that my contract with American Home Shield clearly covers unlimited AC refrigerant and ductwork repairs.

Feeling misled and dissatisfied, I contacted American Home Shield, who confirmed that the repairs I had requested were indeed covered under my contract.

I have to say that I'm quite disappointed with the service provided by Comfort Pros. The discrepancy between the information provided by their technician and what my contract covers raises serious concerns about their integrity and commitment to their customers. I hope this review prompts them to address these issues and improve their...