ARS Heating and Cooling

Avoid using ARS for your heating and air conditioning needs. They are a total rip off. I copied that statement from another review, but I agree 100%. Earlier this morning I called and cancelled appointment for today that was suppose to be for yesterday. Another company came out and serviced my unit. My air conditioner is much cooler than before. I then called to cancel my service contract with ARS. I was told someone would have to call me back on Friday to do the cancellation. They can't even cancel a service contract the same day. I asked the question, What if no one calls me back. I was told then call them back again Friday or Monday. None of their customer service representatives are friendly or customer oriented. They all sound the same. Hopefully someone will call me back on Friday so I can put and end to this misery. I rated a 1 only because there is no 0.

Please read my previous comment. My appointment was set for this Sunday morning between 8:00-12:00. I just got a call that ARS is not able to come out today after waiting here in a hot house yesterday evening, all through the night. I have got to get me another Servicer and I am sure I will loose the warranty that's left on my unit. I really feel like I just gave away a lot of money for no good service at all. I am suspicious now as to whether my old unit was bad because we never had the problems that I am having with this ARS Heating and Cooling Unit. Well, I am signing off. I am sure I will be back on again to finish my complaint.

I wish I would have read some of these reviews before we did our purchase. I can truly say this is the worse purchase I have ever made. My air conditioning went out in May 2018. We were scheduled to have my husband's birthday party on May 26 at our home. We called ARS. They said we needed New Air/Heating unit, everything replaced. I asked the question, Can you assure us everything will be working on his birthday? The answer was Yes. The new unit was installed on 05-14--18. This unit was suppose to be a bigger and better air/heating unit, save on electricity. We paid $13,000.00 plus interest totaling about $1,450.00. At the beginning of my husband birthday party on May 26, 2018, about a week later, with a houseful of people, the unit stopped working. This was such a disappointment. Our guests stayed as long as they could and left. We called immediately, but by the time ARS came, everyone had left. On the day of the party I told everyone how much we paid for everything and they were shocked. Especially due to the fact the air stopped working. We had the same problem with the heating. My husband was diagnosed with cancer in July 2018 so I wasn't able to focus on the situation. I have copies of all of the work orders. The heating never worked right. I called January 2020 because the downstairs was so cold and upstairs was overheated. We moved upstairs because my husband was too cold downstairs. I can assure you this never happened with our old unit. I couldn't really stick with the call outs because my husband was so sick. My husband passed on March 14, 2020. He never got good service from this air/heating unit that he paid for. I had to call in tonight 07-11-2020 because the air conditioning stopped working. I was too embarrassed to tell my adult children because they know the whole story. I am so disappointed.

I had a mini=split system installed by this company, and had nine service calls within five months! They don't know what they are doing; they don't know how to properly install.
Dealing with them is a nightmare - IF they answer the phone, you are on hold always; then someone has to transfer you to another person, who has to transfer you to another person, and either you get disconnected, or the phones to the person you "have" to talk to are down. (I have actually been give this excuse twice - the phones to accounting are "down". Really? They NEVER call back.
I am currently trying to get my money back for a bogus service plan - they charged me $199 for a $169 invoice and will not refund the $30! I have since found an A/C company that will service a split system unit, and am cancelling my service plans with ARS. Wish me luck!
I will NEVER do business with this company again. They don't know what they are doing.

Stay away from ARS - I had an air conditioner installed one year ago. The nest down stairs went out already. I called them and was told after paying almost $14,000.00 that to fix the nest down stairs they wanted $165.00 for labor and $90.00 every quarter hour for them to trouble shoot the problem. They could not get this air conditioner to run properly in the beginning and then after one year I find it is not working correctly again! They tried to tell me power surges could cause the problem. Well I have lived in this house for 19 years and only had this air conditioner for the last year. NEVER in the other 18 years have I had a problem like this with my old air conditioner! I did buy the service warranty - guess what they said it was only to change the filter! At one point he told me it was my zone board and they would not have put that in. I told him for $14,000.00 I would hope they had put it in. Yes in fact my contract shows a zone board. This company is really the worst!

Review: I am disabled , spend most of my day in a wheelchair and I have coronary and breathing problems which is the main reason for me purchasing a HVAC unit from ARS of Pittsburgh in April of 2013. A week after I bought this system it broke and they realized they installed the wrong ac unit and installed a new one which really never cooled my home satisfactory. I have had them at my home on numerous occosions but on sept 9,2015 I had a complete system breakdown which I paid $159.00 for coolant which leaked back out within the week. I had them back on sept 18 and they did nothing except break my lock on my 2 year old furnace door and said I needed to clean my unit which I did but it still didn't work, I called customer care and they scheduled me for free leak search on Sept 25th but when they got here wanted over $500.00 to perform service and still my unit wouldn't be fixed but they would return after week end to see where the leak was, I refused to pay and my breathing isn't good because my unit is still broke and I complained about my door lock so they screwed my door shut so I cant get into my unit anymore because the screws are to high and I cant stand, this is unacceptableDesired Settlement: I need my unit fixed , I agree to pay for parts but not for such things as coolant which is needed to perform a leaksearch which I was supposed to get for free because of my inconvienance, plus as I said they screwed my 2 year old door shut which should be replaced.

Business

Response:

October 12, 2015[redacted]RE: Revdex.com ID# [redacted]American Residential Services, LLC D/B/A ARS Heating & Cooling (“ARS”) has received your email dated September 28, 2015, regarding the above-referenced complaint. Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We have been in communication with Mr. [redacted] and have reached an amicable resolution with him.ARS prides itself on providing premier customer service and appreciates your assistance in resolving this dispute. If you require additional information regarding this complaint, please feel free to contact me at ###-###-####.Respectfully, Janice H[redacted]Corporate Customer Relations Lead

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Avoid using ARS for your heating and air conditioning needs. They are a total rip off. They came to my home and did not do a proper diagnosis of my system. They told me I needed a contactor at a price of $200. They told me my compressor was pulling low amps and needed a hard start at a price of $250. I found out later that a compressor pulling high amps, not low, may need a hard start. Additionally, I found out that the parts were $14 each retail. They get them wholesale. After I committed to these parts and they put them on, the technician attempted to check my Freon but was unable because of a leaking Schrader valve that he told me could not be replaced. It could and should have been replaced. He never even looked at the fan that was going out even though I told him about it. I completed their automated phone survey and no one has contacted me. I complained through their web site and no one has called me. I still got charged the service call on top of all that and it took less than an hour to do this. Total rip off!

your man Adam S[redacted] was just at my home to service my A C. I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate you on having this man on your staff he not only took care of my problem very quickly he was such a gentleman while he was here if I need any type of service on my A C in the future I will be sure to ask for Adam I thank you for your service & please be assured if anybody mentions to me if they need service on their A C I will be happy to refer them to you.

My experience with ARS was very negative. We had a problem with AC in a residential as well as a commercial unit. They came and did a diagnostic test and recommended that the residential unit be replaced for $5,000 and that the commercial unit could not be fixed as well and recommended replacement for $20,000 and it would take 6 weeks. We sought a second opinion and another company fixed the commercial unit for less than $1,000 and also fixed the residential unit the same day by replacing a $20.00 part that look 5 minutes. My only conclusion is that they are simply incompetent or maintain very deceptive business practices. I do not recommend using this company for your HVAC needs.

Review: ARS came to my home and unplugged a condensate pump and then plugged in the one I purchased. Furnace is still under warranty. No mention of cost until finished. Led me to believe that this was covered by initial $8000 purchase of furnace and air conditioner and then charged me $100 for 2 minutes of work.Desired Settlement: Refund of the $100 charged

Business

Response:

This is in response to complaint ID # [redacted]. The equipment in question was purchased by customer on 6/10/2010. At that time, customer purchased a new furnace, A/C, Coll, Infinity Stat, condensate pump, Air Cleaner, and Humidifier for $8375. There is a 10 year manufacturer (Carrier) parts and labor warranty on the furnace and A/C. The Condensate Pump is an add on feature which is used to pump water to the utility tub, this pump only has a one year parts and labor warranty. ARS returned on 9/9/2010 to enlarge the cold air return and level the pad. No other service calls were received from customer until a few weeks ago when customer called requesting service on the condensate pump. At that time, the Customer Service Representative at ARS informed the customer that there would be a $94 trip/diagnostic charge. On April 9,2014, an ARS Service Technician went to customer's residence and corrected the issue.

At the time of service, customer provided Service Technician with credit card for the $94 diagnostic charge. The following day, customer, called the ARS office to dispute the $94 charge. At that time, the General Manager, spoke to customer. The General Manager explained the 10 year parts and labor warranty on the furnace and A/C unit and the one year parts and labor warranty on the Condensate Pump which neither warranty covers the standard $94 diagnostic charge. Customer was still not satisfied and continued to change his story while speaking to General Manager. Since the purchase of these units at customer's residence, there has been no yearly servicing of the units, which can also void the manufacturers' warranty. The General Manager, did offer customer, the discounted amount of the diagnostic fee of $50, even though customer is not signed up as a Home Service Plan customer of ARS, the customer declined. Customer mentioned that he would be contacting his credit card customer to dispute the charge.

In the 4 years since equipment was installed at customer's residence, ARS has not received any calls concerning an issue with the units. The charge in question that customer is disputing Is the standard $94 charge that ARS charges all customers that need a Technician to diagnose a problem. This fee is explained at the time of the call.

Regards,

ARS, Pittsburgh Division

Consumer

Response:

Jim B. provided excellent service during his service check of our air conditioner.