Precision Heating & Air

Jacqueline W.

I was disappointed with the customer service. The representative took my information and maintenance request however, they never called me back for the repair. I went with another vendor and they completed the repair the same day.

Matt H.

We hired Precision Heating & Air to fix our A/C system when the old unit's compressor died in April 2020 (the Texas summer was coming and we had just brought our newborn home from the hospital). The Precision team came out, completed the initial assessment, and provided their estimate for the labor/costs that would be needed to properly fix the system and cool our home. We were told that our old unit was out-dated and over-sized based on industry standards, but our ducts were in good shape so we wouldn't need to replace them. We agreed on an approximate cost of $7000.

Fast forward 4 months. During the days, our thermostat usually reads about 5-7 degrees hotter than what we have it set at (and with a newborn, 68-72 degrees is recommended plus we prefer a cool home in general). 

Three separate times we've had Precision come out to diagnose the issue. The first two times, the technician tried a few small patching and sealing fixes but nothing changed. The third time, a more senior technician concluded that the insulation in our attic was inadequate and that our ducts were thinner than the industry standard. These factors, combined with our smaller unit, are what was causing our hot house. Why were these, in hindsight, obvious issues not pointed out until the third follow-up appointment?

Not only was this the first time we were hearing that the ducts were insufficient but we were specifically told that the ductwork was fine during the initial assessment. Even more jarring, Precision installs insulation all the time, but at NO point during the original assessment was the insulation ever discussed. Had we known this would be a big contributing factor, we would have adjusted our budget. At a minimum, we would have asked Precision to add the insulation cost to the estimate so we could make a thorough decision. The fact that the quote we received did not include insulation or duct replacement proves it was never discussed. 

Precision is now quoting us an additional $2,200 for the insulation work. Sadly, even if we were to pay for the new insulation, we have no assurance that this will actually fix the problem.  The senior technician who was last out to our home agreed that Precision dropped the ball here. However, the company's management was only willing to give us a $500 discount on new insulation, leaving us with a $1,700 bill if we decide to go ahead.  Based on my research, Precision's price even after the discount, is still higher than the average cost for attic insulation in the Austin area. Most importantly though, our trust in Precision is lost and we do not wish to do more business with them. 

We are not unreasonable people. However, after spending over $7,000 to cool our home, we feel like we have the right to expect a cool home.  We trusted their professional opinion and we trusted that they would notify us of any significant factors that might get in the way of a cool home. They failed to do this which is why we wanted to share our experience.

Grant T.

I've used Precision Heating & Air a couple of times and I felt somewhat taken advantage of each time.

The first time, the technician tried to tell me I shouldn't install my Nest thermostats myself, because it could somehow fry the HVAC system if it wasn't installed and calibrated correctly. He also charged roughly $100 per thermostat.

After consulting with friends, family, and another HVAC professional -- all of them said you don't need a technician to install your Nest thermostats and they're made to be user friendly and easy to install. Could've watched a quick YouTube video and figured it out.

The second time was to simply check the system and provide me with a report to show to a potential buyer; as we're looking to sell our condo. The technician came back with a laundry list of repairs totaling almost $5,000 and more or less said replacing the entire system would be a good idea.

I had another HVAC technician come out to provide a 2nd opinion. I showed him the report that Precision Heating & Air provided and had this other technician provide the exact same tests and inspection. He came back and only agreed with one of the repairs Precision had suggested and was able to do it for 1/4 of the price.

Similarly to some of these other reviews, I feel that while Precision does know how to handle HVAC repairs and do quality work; they tend to push products that are above-standard or simply unnecessary. I believe their technicians are likely on some form of commission structure to where they make a base rate and then are compensated extra for any additional products they sell.

Not saying you shouldn't use them, but I would beware of what they offer in terms of repairs and maybe get a second opinion before agreeing to have them do any work.

Doug S.

Just a heads up. We called PH&A for A/C service on two of our properties as our usual company had some Covid issues they were dealing with. We explained that both units were 15-years-old and functioning well but needed servicing and fluid top-ups. Both units were R-22. They agreed to come service them.

Property 1:

Technician arrived on time- looked it over- and said he would service it. After reviewing the system he said it was old and moderately inefficient. I asked that he top it up as we are doing a full renovation on that property next year. He replied that they don't do that and that I should replace the unit. He charged us for the assessment even though he had no intention of fixing it.

Property 2:

I drove over and met the technician at the property. I left, as our tenant was there, and the technician said he would service the unit and fill us in. He never contacted us with the results for several weeks. We received a bill and assumed the unit was taken care of. Then our tenants called to say the unit had frozen up. Upon reviewing this with the company they let us know that the technician didn't do anything to the unit but that there were, indeed, notes on file saying the unit needed work. They didn't reach out to tell us this, they did nothing.

Resolution:

We went back to our A/C company, Alpine, as they had resolved their Covid issue and were back up and running. In 12 hours they resolved everything. They serviced both houses efficiently and were professional in their work and communication.

Conclusion:

We have 17 properties we own/manage. We made a mistake in not waiting for Alpine.

But let's pause on PH&A.

Their approach seems to me to be a bit unethical. When they find out that a client's units are older they should be up front in saying they don't service them. They should be up front and say ""Thanks for the call. We don't service older systems but we would be happy to come out and talk to you about a new system"". Instead, they come out and charge for a service call they have no intention of executing on. They just push a new system. Very disappointing.

Alpine will be getting the new systems in these two houses - and we will continue to use them for our other properties.

Just a heads up. Hope everyone is safe and healthy.

Charlie C.

Josh was responsive when I put in an urgent request (via Yelp) on Saturday July 4th. He came the next day and explained the issue with the A/C unit and gave a couple of options, and recommended (the cheaper) solution. Excellent work, highly recommended.

Jillian N.

They weren't able to fix my problem on demand (because it was a really a me-issue) but they were the fastest to respond and get a technician out to tell me what was going on. Really appreciate their communication and speed, especially during this massive heat wave. Would recommend.

Corey W.

Precision is not actually 24/7. They do not perform service on weekends at all, they just have an after hours line that takes your name and number for a call back. They will purportedly perform emergency services, but the representative on the phone wouldn't tell me what constituted an emergency or what that meant for pricing, and then said a technician could call me back during business hours for more information.

Amanda B.

These guys were aaaaahhhhhh-mazing! Friday night on a holiday weekend and what do you know, my outdoor AC starts smoking. Frantically calling service companies, and these guys were the first to show up Saturday morning, on July 4th. Jason, the technician, was super friendly & courteous, and made sure we knew exactly what he was doing and what the potential outcome(s) were.
Follow that up with John, the project manager, who got to our house within an hour of Jason leaving, to get the ball rolling on installing a completely new system. He was able to pull some strings, and get us a new indoor & outdoor unit installed the VERY NEXT DAY. By 6:00 pm Sunday evening my house was being cooled again, and we were able to enjoy a nice dinner and a movie inside!!! Amazing service. They took care of me and my family, during the heat of the summer on a holiday weekend, with smiles on their faces and a ""Go Get 'em"" attitude. I would highly recommend Precision to anyone needing basic service or an act of god miracle! Two Thumbs up!

R H.

BEWARE VERY HIGH PRICES FOR THEIR REPAIRS!

We have a condo which we have rented to the same tenant since 2013. Sunday afternoon he contacted us to say that his A/C had gone out, that he had contacted Precision Heating and A/C to come, that Precision's tech would be calling us and could we please approve his call out to the condo.

On weekdays, I know a guy who will do diagnosis on HVAC's gone pear-shaped and if it is something simple like a capacitor replacement, he will do the work. Can't get him on Sundays, and somewhere there is a rule that HVAC's only break on Sundays. For good reasons, I was unable to go and do what diagnosis I can do, but did ask the tenant several basic questions and concluded that under the circumstances, we would need a real tech, so when the tech called, I asked what his Sunday call out fee is and he said $69 and the repair would be on top of that. I thought $69 on a Sunday was very agreeable and said so.

In retrospect, I should have also asked what would be the premium over weekday work, if any. Big mistake, cause he called to tell me the the problem and that the capacitor replacement would be $388. I was gob smacked at that amount and thought about telling him that I would pay the $69 and find someone more reasonable, but there were considerable restraints on my time, and if I failed to find someone less expensive then, the tenant, who I value, would be without AC that afternoon and night. I did think to ask if that would be the total charge and he replied yes. I told him that I thought it was unreasonably high but that I was between a rock and a hard place and to go ahead with the work. I then got a text saying he had charged my card for not only the 388, but also the 69 which I had understood to be included in the 388.

I called Precision and had a very civil discussion with them about the charge. They refunded the $69 citing a misunderstanding as to the total, but refused to budge on their price. Would never use them again, and suggest that, if you do, be sure to get another quote or two before agreeing to their quote.

UPDATE: I called owner Joe Strazza and had a very thorough airing of what turned out to be two issues. Mine and his (as you can see from his reply to my review). It was a respectful and measured discussion, during which he described competitive pricing from the ""other three largest HVAC"" (Strand, Stan's (? unsure of this name), and one other unnamed) and to be fair, Precision was about in the middle. [I have not verified those prices, but have no reason to doubt Mr. Strazza].

I do not understand higher unit costs based on higher volume since in my considerable business experience, economies of scale bring unit costs down, and I explained this. Mr. Strazza then confided in me with his $ amount of profit on the call, and I do not begrudge the amount (based on acceptance of his calculation of costs). He then asked me if I thought it fair to give only one star based purely on cost dissatisfaction, given that it did not take into account quality of service. I had to agree that my rating was inappropriate given that the service, and the communication relative to that service, was prompt, the capacitor is of American manufacture, and as far as I know, both parts and service were of good quality. In fairness, I am changing my review to 3 stars.

Steve W.

Get a second opinion before letting these guys take you for a ride. I had a tech come out to fix an AC on a hot summer day. Maybe he thought I was desperate and would agree with whatever he said. This is what he tried to sell me:

- $388 to replace a capacitor.
- $288 for refrigerant. He told me the AC unit was low 3lbs of refrigerant and was going to charge $96 per pound to replace ($96 x 3)
- $250ish to run a check to see if there was a leak.
- $3,000+ to replace coil if leak was found.
- Tack on labor/tax and his quote was about $1000, before the potential coil replacement.

My spidey sense was telling me he was full of it. My usual AC guy, who wasn't able to make it originally, had a cancellation and took a look. His diagnosis: bad capacitor. THAT WAS ALL. Refrigerant levels were perfectly fine.

Total cost: $180.

Be wary of this company. I won't be calling them again.