Find top-rated Pros in your area

Enter a zip code and get matched to businesses near you.

Sentry Heating, Air, Plumbing & Generators

Heating and Air Conditioning, Plumbing, Generator,

About us

We have been serving Birmingham and the surrounding community since 1987. Our main goals are quality work and reliable service. Asked what single attribute distinguishes Sentry, Charlie Conklin, owner and president, doesn't hesitate in responding, "Follow-up". The royal blue shield emblazoned with "Comfort Guard" is the symbol of Sentry's commitment to, as Conklin puts it, "taking the time to do every job right the first time and then going the extra mile to ensure that our customers stay satisfied."

Business highlights

37 years of trusted experience
Emergency Services Offered

Services we offer

Residential, commercial, industrial, heating, air conditioning, A/C repair, ventilation, plumbing, gas piping, generators residential & light commercial, indoor air quality, light commercial refrigeration & attic insulation.

Services we don't offer

Repairs to Mobile Homes

Amenities

Warranties
Yes
Senior Discount

10%

Emergency Services
Yes


Accepted payment methods

American Express
Check
Discover
MasterCard
Visa

Reviews

4.653 Reviews
Number of StarsImage of DistributionNumber of Ratings
5
79%
4
6%
3
4%
2
6%
1
6%


Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
4.6
value
4.2
professionalism
4.7
responsiveness
4.9
punctuality
4.9
Showing 1-25 of 53 reviews

Bradford S.
04/2020
5.0
heating & air conditioning/hvac
  + -1 more
It was very good. They are not the cheapest, but they do high quality work. I would highly recommend them to others.
Description of Work: They installed 2 new units.
Rating CategoryRating out of 5
Yes, I recommend this pro

James B.
04/2018
2.0
heating & air conditioning/hvac, plumbing, water heater repair, generator service
  + 2 more
DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY! SCAM SERVICE AGREEMENTS! Sentry scammed us into signing multiple expensive maintenance agreements then amazingly found all sorts of expensive repairs to do each time they came. We own a home built in 1966. It's old and is being renovated. We know there are going to be issues so maintenance agreements seemed to make sense. Our first call to Sentry was due to their sticker being on the furnace. I assumed they installed the furnace since it had their sticker. (Later I realized they stick their decals on everything when they visit the home.) I called them to have the furnaces serviced and cleaned. The rep did a better job trying to upsell me on maintenance plans than he did actually servicing the furnaces. Two days later the gas valves on both our furnaces went out to the tune of over $3000. Bad luck or something else? Of course we called Sentry to come back because the agreement gave us a small discount. The rep looked at the furnaces and said "boy these sure need to be serviced. They are really dirty." This was two days after Sentry had been there to service it. Spring HVAC paid maintenance rolls around and they find a burned relay on the condenser. $300 to repair, but wait he also says your tankless hot water heater urgently needs to be flushed. He shared I need to buy a plumbing maintenance agreement because that will be covered. I repeated back to him twice "the plumbing agreement will cover flushing out the hot water heater?" I was told "yes" twice so I signed. Today the plumbing rep from Sentry arrived to do the "maintenance" agreement visit. His only tool to do our maintenance was a flashlight. He found various issues that could cause problems any day. Each issue had a $300-700 price tag. Total for repairs he found was $2042 and I'm sure that would be plus plus. I reminded him that the hot water heater needed to be flushed and he notified me that "repair" would be $680. New hot water heater costs about $800. He said we would probably be better going with a new tank hot water heater because the tankless are so expensive to maintain. Our Sentry maintenance agreement visit was nothing more than a glorified PAID visit for them do estimates at our home. The plumbing rep did do his best to convince me we needed a Sentry full electrical maintenance agreement to handle many electrical issues he saw. Do yourself a favor and find a company that will be honest, do the work required and not have every technician looking to sell you a "bundle".
Description of Work: HVAC, Generator, Plumbing Maintenance

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
3.0
value
2.0
professionalism
4.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

$4,000

Benson H.
02/2016
4.0
heating & air conditioning/hvac
  + -1 more
Meeting was very professional, and the representative definitely knew what he was talking about. In the end, we decided to go with a different service as Sentry's quote was pretty high, and the Ben Franklin's heating and air was quite cheaper.
Description of Work: Gave an estimate to replace both ac units and furnace.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
3.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

$8,000

Lea Ann C.
02/2016
5.0
heating & air conditioning/hvac
  + -1 more
The Sentry technician was very helpful and professional in detailing what needed to be done and answering all my questions. The price was reasonable and the work was done quickly and everything was left very clean. All equipment was in excellent working order when I arrived home.
Description of Work: Replaced the blower motor in the upstairs

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$950

Ian D.
11/2015
1.0
gas leak repair, heating & air conditioning/hvac, plumbing
  + 1 more
There was a major gas leak shortly after they left.
Description of Work: Quoted and installed two new gas furnaces

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
1.0
professionalism
1.0
responsiveness
1.0
punctuality
1.0

$8,000

Mark W.
10/2015
5.0
plumbing
  + -1 more
They come when they say. They're ontime. They're polite and friendly and wear the footies over their shoes. They're neat and clean up after themselves. They're very professional .
Description of Work: I had a heating and a/c tune up.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro

Teresa D.
10/2015
5.0
heating & air conditioning/hvac, plumbing
  + 0 more
Everything went very well. They were friendly, professional and did everything they said they were going to do. They gave me the cost up front with no surprises. The only thing that went wrong was that one of the systems was not set up right and they came back and re-set it. Other that that I was very well pleased and would recommend them to everyone.
Description of Work: Put in two new heat pump cooling systems and two new furnaces.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$20,500

Teresa D.
10/2015
5.0
plumbing, water heater repair
  + 0 more
My 15 year old water heater was leaking water in the basement. I called them and asked that they install a new water heater. They were friendly and professional. They said they would call me back with a price and time they would be there. I requested they call me on my cell phone and gave them the number. They called my home number and left an message on the answering machine. Fortunately my husband was home. They gave a price up front. The first water heater was too big, so they had to go back and get another one. They installed the new water heater and then later on that night , it began to leak around some tubing. I called their emergency number and they came right out and fixed it. Everything has been great since. Would recommend them to anyone.
Description of Work: Installed new water heater

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,700

Elizabeth S.
08/2015
5.0
drain cleaning, heating & air conditioning/hvac, plumbing
  + 1 more
Darryl arrived on time and was extremely professional. He initially inspected the second floor unit and the drain line inside the wall to determine the origin of a leak that was coming through the wall and ceiling of the first floor condo. After not locating the leak, he proceeded to inspect the third floor unit and determined the drain line was completely disconnected. He cleared drain lines in all three units and re-connected the disconnected line. I was impressed that he did not give up and was able to find and repair the issue. I would definitely recommend Sentry for HVAC service and plumbing. They did a very thorough job and helped remedy a significant issue.
Description of Work: Inspected three units to locate leak in interior wall at condo building, cleared condensate drain lines

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$340

Matthew S.
12/2014
5.0
heating & air conditioning/hvac
  + -1 more
They are very punctual, professional, and responsible.
Description of Work: We use Sentry. They did a furnace cleaning, inspection, and replacement of a heating element.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$720

Chris P.
10/2014
5.0
heating & air conditioning/hvac
  + -1 more
Very well. We would recommend.
Description of Work: Upgraded existing system to larger unit for remodeling purposes.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$12,000

lynn G.
10/2014
5.0
heating & air conditioning/hvac
  + -1 more
It never fails that when something goes wrong, Sentry is there to help quickly. We were in need of replacing our units and every price range and unit was discussed with us, clearly giving us our options. We will never us anyone else, as they are now like family and are very trustworthy. Other companies may quote a lower price, but in this case you do not want to take any chances with a large purchase. You do get what you pay for!
Description of Work: replace, both units and service whenever needed

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$10,600

Brett C.
09/2014
5.0
heating & air conditioning/hvac, plumbing
  + 0 more
My 15 year old AC unit went out. I called Sentry and they were very quick to respond. The technician arrived as promised and promptly repaired unit. He advised that system was getting old, but could be repaired easily. He completed repair and all is working great. I would also like to add that they have been outstanding to my 88 year old father in law. He has used both their plumbing and AC services over the years after getting scammed by another local provider. I would highly recommend them to anyone in need!
Description of Work: Repaired AC unit.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$750

Lea Ann C.
09/2014
5.0
heating & air conditioning/hvac
  + -1 more
The service appointment went very well. The technician was on time and very friendly. He did the work in a very timely manner and let me know all along the way what would be happening. I was very pleased with everyone. I have recommended them to many friends and several of them have used Sentry as well and been equally as pleased. They are very professional.
Description of Work: I had to have my upstairs system replaced. Everyone was very professional beginning with the person who answered the phone when I first called in to the technician who came to my home to do the estimate and work. The cost of the work was exactly what I was quoted and was very fair and reasonable. The follow up was great as well making sure I was satisfied with my service.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$3,000

eric W.
08/2014
5.0
electrician, heating & air conditioning/hvac
  + 0 more
I called first thing in the morning and they came right over that same morning. The technician was able to repair the outdoor unit right away. He was very quick and professional. I will use them again next time I have a problem.
Description of Work: Replaced a switch or breaker of some kind on the outdoor A/C unit.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$560

Kay A.
07/2014
2.0
heating & air conditioning/hvac
  + -1 more
I wrote a letter to the general manager and received a smug, condescending response. Several of my friends have also told me about similar occurrences.
Description of Work: I used Sentry for 2 years and every time they would perform the regular maintenance they would find some large repair that needed to be made. On this particular occasion, they said I needed a repair that was going to cost $1,800. This sounded high so I received a second opinion. The company quoted me $600 and did the repair. My unit has worked perfectly since then.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
3.0
value
2.0
professionalism
3.0
responsiveness
3.0
punctuality
4.0


Beth A.
04/2014
5.0
heating & air conditioning/hvac, insulation
  + 0 more
They have always been courteous and quick to fit me into their schedule even when I needed to reschedule at the last minute. If ould not have asked for better service of a better product.
Description of Work: Sentry has worked on my HVAC unit for regular maintenance and after the unit was flooded well as insulated my attic.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$6,500

Theodore B.
03/2014
5.0
generator service, heating & air conditioning/hvac
  + 0 more
Went very well and done in good time -- no problems
Description of Work: replace gas regulator on generator

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$279

Georgette L.
11/2013
2.0
heating & air conditioning/hvac
  + -1 more
The service technicians showed up on the same day the call was made. Both individuals were extremely nice and polite to my wife upon entry and wore booties and gloves while servicing the unit. Only one unit was malfunctioning, however these two individuals took it upon themselves to inspect both units and make assessments about each. These individuals also preyed upon my wife's lack of experience with these types of matters. They installed approximately $100 worth of new equipment, $80 worth of filters, sprayed some water on our outdoor units and wiped them down, and then they pressured my wife into signing a worthless service agreement. I would warn anyone from using these people as they seem to take advantage of people who do not know the exact cause of their problem.
Description of Work: Installed (2) 30 amp contactors, (1) 35+5 capacitor, and (1) 45+5 capacitor. Technicians also chemically cleaned both units and installed two air filters.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
4.0
value
1.0
professionalism
3.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

$1,700

Paula A.
09/2013
3.0
heating & air conditioning/hvac
  + -1 more
I called Sentry to come out because my inside unit was leaking (and water was dripping from my ceiling). The service technician came out promptly. He was able to easily and quickly detect my problem which was simply that my drain line was clogged from the outside. The technician simply blew air into the base of the line and it was open. Done. Even with his sitting in the truck for about 10 minutes after he "checked" the system (which I don't think he actually touched), he was in and out of my house in half an hour. Before he left (and after sitting in his truck about 10 minutes) he brought me the bill which was $99 for the diagnostic fee and an additional $130 for blowing out the line! I was shocked. I am upset that the fee was exorbitant considering little was done and I am also upset that he did not inform me what it was going to cost ($130 on top of the diagnostic fee) to blow a puff of air into my line. I could have (and should have) done it myself. I feel the service technician should have told me the fee before doing the work. Then on top of the ridiculous fee, which I wrote a check for, I wrote the company to complain about being charged such a high fee for what very little was done. I have heard absolutely nothing. I will not make the same mistake again and I just want to urge others to find another HVAC provider because there are many other companies out there looking to do good business. I do give good marks because the office staff was friendly and the company was able to provide a technician in a timely manner.
Description of Work: Service call for a water/condensation leak

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
2.0
value
1.0
professionalism
2.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0


Steven O.
02/2013
5.0
heating & air conditioning/hvac
  + -1 more
After 2 hours of trouble-shooting, Tony determined the malfunction was due to a faulty circuit breaker in our breaker box. He replaced the circuit breaker. While the repair was not covered under the warranty (and I did not expect it to be), most of the cost of trouble-shooting was covered, even though the problem was in no way related to the heat pump or its installation. I feel that is more than fair to the customer.
Description of Work: We had a minor issue with a heat pump recently installed by Sentry. The indoor thermostat would lose contact with the outdoor thermometer.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$150

Gregory V.
02/2013
5.0
generator service
  + -1 more
Earlier in the week, the standby generator had not operated properly during a power outage. Since the previous service company was not responsive, I called Sentry to inspect and service the unit based on their Angie's List reviews. I was pleasantly surprised when Sentry was able to send a technician the same day I called. The dispatcher, Shelley, was very helpful. Clay, the technician, arrived early in the afternoon and we discussed the problem with the generator. He thoroughly examined and tested the generator and transfer switch, serviced the unit and confirmed all was working properly when he left. He also took the time to answer several questions about the system and its operation. We decided to get an annual service contract with Sentry based on this experience; $255 for two service visits per year. If we had not purchased the contract, the cost of the visit alone would have been $99. All in all, a good experience with both Sentry and Angie's List.
Description of Work: I called Sentry to inspect and service the standby generator at my Mother's house.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$255

Deborah H.
12/2012
5.0
generator service, heating & air conditioning/hvac
  + 0 more
I became a Sentry customer 3-years ago when they visited my home to give an estimate for a whole house generator. It included summer and winter maintenance for 2-years after it was installed. Not only did I purchase the generator, I also changed my yearly contract for heating and cooling maintenance to Sentry after being with another company for 10+ years. Their techs are skilled and very knowledgeable about what they're working on, polite, friendly and careful to keep your home clean. The inspections are very thorough and they answer every question I ask . One very important thing -- the Techs are ALWAYS punctual. Just as important to me is the ease I experience in calling to make an appointment. I've happily found that customer service is not just an empty promise from Sentry and its employees.
Description of Work: Two weeks ago for my winter check-up they performed maintance on both furnaces, checked the humidifier and did the maintenance on the generator -- all covered in the maintence plan . In June, they will return to check the generator and both AC systems.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$255

R. Taft A.
09/2012
1.0
generator service
  + -1 more
Work was done by another contractor.
Description of Work: I requested estimates from 3 contractors to furnish and install an emergency standby generator at my residence. Sentry responded with the highest of the 3 bids for a smaller machine than I needed. Needless to say I selected another contractor based on price and equipment provided.
Rating CategoryRating out of 5

Response from Sentry Heating, Air, Plumbing & Generators
The member you are not in Sentry's system and we have no record of any proposals to you. FYI we do not quote prices over the phone since each job has it own unique conditions. Your post is in accurate.

Don T.
07/2012
5.0
electrician, heating & air conditioning/hvac, plumbing
  + 1 more
Service tech was friendly, competent and professional.
Description of Work: Checked noise in outdoor AC unit. Also replaced outdated thermostat.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$300
    • 1(current)
    • 2
    • 3

Contact information

2490 Rocky Ridge Rd, Birmingham, AL 35243

www.sentryheating.com

Service hours

Sunday:
Closed
Monday:
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday:
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday:
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday:
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday:
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday:
Closed

Licensing

Bonded

Insured

Eco-friendly Accreditations

LEED Accredited Professional
No
Energy Star Partner
No
EPA Lead-Safe Certified
Yes
Use Green Products or Work Practices
Yes
State Contractor License Requirements

All statements concerning insurance, licenses, and bonds are informational only, and are self-reported. Since insurance, licenses and bonds can expire and can be cancelled, homeowners should always check such information for themselves. To find more licensing information for your state, visit our State Contractor License Requirements page.

*Contact business to see additional licenses.


Service Categories

Heating and Air Conditioning,
Plumbing,
Generator,
Electrical,
Water Heaters,
Air Duct Cleaning,
Insulation,
Drain Cleaning,
Natural Gas Lines,
Energy Efficiency Auditing,
Sewer Cleaning,
Kitchen and Bath Remodeling

FAQ

Sentry Heating, Air, Plumbing & Generators is currently rated 4.6 overall out of 5.

Sunday: Closed

Monday: 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM

Tuesday: 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM

Wednesday: 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM

Thursday: 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM

Friday: 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM

Saturday: Closed

Sentry Heating, Air, Plumbing & Generators accepts the following forms of payment: American Express,Check,Discover,MasterCard,Visa
No, Sentry Heating, Air, Plumbing & Generators does not offer free project estimates.
Yes, Sentry Heating, Air, Plumbing & Generators offers eco-friendly accreditations.
No, Sentry Heating, Air, Plumbing & Generators does not offer a senior discount.
Yes, Sentry Heating, Air, Plumbing & Generators offers emergency services.
Yes, Sentry Heating, Air, Plumbing & Generators offers warranties.
Sentry Heating, Air, Plumbing & Generators offers the following services: Residential, commercial, industrial, heating, air conditioning, A/C repair, ventilation, plumbing, gas piping, generators residential & light commercial, indoor air quality, light commercial refrigeration & attic insulation.
Repairs to Mobile Homes

Contact information

2490 Rocky Ridge Rd, Birmingham, AL 35243

www.sentryheating.com

Service hours

Sunday:
Closed
Monday:
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday:
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday:
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday:
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday:
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday:
Closed