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Please note: this page contains reviews and opinions sent in by Berkeley Parents Net subscribers. Your own experience may be different. Please always check references before hiring!
We need to have our unreliable central heating repaired (or maybe ultimately replaced). The recommendations on the bulletin board are a couple of years old, and I'm wondering if anyone has more recent experience with any of the following companies: Atlas, Harry Clark, Best Heating, Ceridono, or Walter Mork? Thanks for your help! rachel
I have checked previous postings and nothing seems to be recent. I'm looking for a HVAC specialist in the Lamorinda area. Your recomendations are appreciated. Carole
As winter lurks around the corner, I want to replace my 2 ancient floor furnaces (in a 70-yr old house) with central heating. Any recommendations?
We called AC Heating and Air conditioning (510-271-0771) to come take a look at our two heaters. They have the largest ad in the SBC Oakland Yellow Pages (pg 40). They told us that there would be a $45 charge for the service call to find the problem and if we decided to have them fix it the $45 would go towards the costs of repair. So, the guy showed up, did little more than just re-light our pilots (no parts, laughable labor time) and was done in 15 minutes. He then asked for $120!!! I was shocked. Needless to say I didn't pay him $120. But, the experience wasn't fun and everyone should stay far away from these folks. Almost Burnt
I know we haven't had a crazy hot summer so far (2005), but my hubby
and I decided to install air-conditioning in our house this year. We
hired Ceridono Heating/Cooling.
Our "3-4 day job" ended up taking 30
days and by the time they left our house not only did we end up
with half of the things they promised us, only half of our house is
cool. Sadly, it's not the half that needs cooling. Our bedroom on
the top floor was 92 degrees the other day with the "air-conditioning"
running. And they are still expecting us to pay in
full. We've
called in Jeff Brown from LJ Kruse to be our salvation and are just
kicking ourselves that we didn't hire LJ Kruse from the get go. Jeff
and his team can be reached at 644-0260. (Oh, and several postings
from the last couple of years list Jeff Brown at Ceridono - he doesn't
work there anymore... now he works for LJ Kruse.)
disgruntled and HOT in Oakland
We have had great experience with RD Heating & Air Conditioning. They installed a heater for us a year and a half ago and an air conditioner this spring. I would definitely use them again. Their phone number is 1-800-606-6456. Pam
GREAT HEATING CO.!
Our furnace/heating system just died a few weeks ago! Unexpectedly and in a real bind, my husband called a few heating companys. WE LUCKED OUT BIG TIME and came across a company that is small; family owned for many years and they were a God- send! BEST HEATING AND AIR CO. OWNER JOHN HALSEMA is smart, respectful, pleasant and knowledgable as well as fair and straight! He came over that night, put in a NEW furnace that next day, worked his butt off late into the night to get our heat back on and running! We were SO happy and just want to spread our good fortune to anyone who is in need of help with your heating or cooling system in your home! Relax and call... * JOHN HALSEMA * # (510 ) 530-2092 john AT bestheating.com www.bestheating.com Happy Holidays! Melinda
Central Heat Installation
Last year we ripped out our old forced air central heating system and had a whole new one designed for us. We got many bids and talked to many companies, and ended up with Atlas Heating in Oakland. We were impressed with them and I highly recommend them. They are a local, family-owned business with lots of experience. Ours was not a simple job, but they did a fine job with good follow-up. And the heating works great! You can call them at 800-750-0074. -- Warm & Happy
Does anyone have hydronic heat in their house? We need to replace our heating system and I'm interested in hydronic heat. Specifically because my husband has allergies and asthma. I need recommendations of heating companies that can install it. If possible, please email me personally as well as posting on the newsletter. rcohen
We need to update heating system in our house-- are having
trouble finding contractor/ company who isn't wierd or scary.
If you have used someone and it was a good experience please
share! Thanks.
Maria
Hi,
We have an old heating system of two floor furnaces with metal
grills. Now that we have a toddler, we would like to move up to
the 21st century and get forced air heating (and maybe cooling
too).
We need a new furnace and have already gotten an estimate from Atlas Plumbing and Heating. I'm interested in hearing from anyone who has had them do work, as well as getting suggestions for a company that might give us another bid. Some duct work may also be part of the job. Thanks.
We are installing a new gas furnace and would like any recommendations for gas furnaces. Two well-recommended HVAC companies independently have suggested Carrier furnaces; does anybody have an informed opinion on that furnace brand? Kate
Can anyone recommend a good heating contractor who could add a vent to our existing central heating system? We felt that the contractor we engaged to do the original installation was very pricey. We live in Emeryville.
Furnaces are supposed to be inspected annually. We have ours done by
Atlas Heating and Ventilation in Oakland. They originally installed the
furnance (before we owned the house) so we just kept with them.
Fran
What ever you do, DO NOT CALL COMFORD. They are a rip off. When I was 9
months pregnant they insisted our funrnace was no good, and that gases were
leaking into our home. Their furnace cost was $8. He was really pushing a
sell. We ended up calling PGE. They came out right away. And informed us
that there were no gases leaking into the home. That our furnace is old
but ok. I would not recommend them....
Cindy
I've also used Berkeley Plumbing and Heating to repair my furnace when a cheap programmable thermostat fried it and they were very very nice and did a great job. And they were reasonably priced.
We have just had a new forced air heating system installed in our small house in Oakland, and used Harry Clark Plumbing and Heating. We have no history with the heater, but Harry Clark's people were very helpful and pleasant to work with. We also got a bid from Ronnie at Atlas Heating; Atlas is more expensive, but it's a union shop and is highly regarded.
I want to chime in with Wendy on 9/1's Parent Digest regarding Harry Clark Plumbing & Heating. We had them install a new heating system in 2 homes with great success. We also used their plumbing services for both minor repairs and major pipe replacement/installation and found them to be excellent. We also got bids from Atlas Heating -- they are highly regarded and more expensive. However, after having used Harry Clark since 1988, we still have the same plumbers coming to our home and they seem quite satisfied with their shop. Albert Nahman has also serviced us for plumbing, and is equally good.
My furnace and heating ducts were supplied and installed by Ceridono Engineered Heating in Berkeley. They are in the yellow pages under heaters-sales and service. I had one of those small floor heaters in my downstairs so that the heat never made it upstairs. My furnace is in my attic (the crawlspace under my house wasn't big enough) and the vents are in the ceiling. They were pretty inventive about placing the ducts because I have an old house with few places to hide stuff, but they managed to do it.
The original furnace and installation cost about $3500 10 years ago.
Last updated: Nov 17, 2007
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