One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning

We have been a customer of this company for nearly 30 years. Their service contract is expensive but comprehensive. Luckily, we have almost never needed service. They contacted us yesterday to say that they have redone their service contracts and I would have to select a new contract. The bottom line is that for about $100 a year more than I paid last year, I can get a service contract with much less comprehensive service. Lucky me. I am actively looking for a new service provider for my furnace and heat pump. Chilltrol used to be a great company when they were locally owned and operated. Since the sold out to a national company they have not been the same. Too bad. Angie's list to the rescue. Looks like there are lot of really good companies out there and I intend to contract with one.

I honestly don't remember, but I have not used this company again and have found one I like a lot - Honest Abe Heating and cooling

On 5 November 2013 a technician from One Hour Baltimore Heating & Air Conditioning also known as Chilltrol, responded to my call for service at my home located at 7851 Hickory Leaf Road, Severn, Maryland, 21144, because my thermostat light had come on and showed error codes 86 and 126. Upon his arrival, he checked out the inside unit and stated that the problem was the thermostat. He said that he had “restarted” the system and the error code 86 disappeared. He stated that the error code 126 would soon disappear. He went out to his truck and upon his return, he stated that I should wait for a week or two and that the error message would disappear, and that if it did not, that I was to call the office and ask them to replace the thermostat. I asked him why the red light on the thermostat was still on because that meant that the system was on emergency heat. He reiterated that there was no actual problem with the system, that the system was running normally, not on emergency heat, and that the error code would probably disappear soon, and that I was to wait a week or two for the system to reset itself. He repeated that the system was running normally and not on emergency heat. On 18 November 2013, after waiting the two week time period that the technician said to wait, the error code, 126 still appeared on the thermostat and the red light was still on. I called One Hour Baltimore Heating & Air Conditioning and reported that the problem still existed with error code 126. I informed them what their technician had stated and that he had suggested that the next technician should bring a new thermostat since that is what the problem was. Approximately one hour after my call on 18 November 2013, a different technician named Chris arrived and checked out the inside and outside unit. I asked him if he had brought a new thermostat in accordance with the instructions of the previous technician. He immediately dismissed the thermostat as the problem as a result of his thorough investigation of both the inside and outside system. He identified the problem as a burned out contact element in the outside unit. He travelled to Annapolis to pick up the replacement part, and returned that afternoon to install the replacement part. Immediately, the error code disappeared. Chris stated that the first technician should have easily diagnosed and corrected the problem if he had checked the outside unit because it was very apparent that the unit was not working normally and that it HAD BEEN WORKING ON EMERGENCY HEAT POWER all of that time. The cost of emergency heat is extremely expensive. I asked Chris why the first technician had not properly diagnosed and repaired the problem, and Chris responded that the first technician did not properly diagnose the problem and that he had been “cleaning up” after him a lot (meaning that he had been correcting the first technician’s mistakes). On 18 November 2013, I sent a letter to the President of One Hour Baltimore Heating and Air Conditioning advising the President of One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning (Chilltrol) of the problem. Since One Hour Baltimore Heating and Air Conditioning had not acknowledged my letter, I sent another letter to the President on 29 November 2013. Because I had not received any acknowledgement of either letter by 30 December 2013, I mailed a registered third letter. I have not had any response from One Hour Baltimore Heating & Air Conditioning to any of my three letters to them. As a result of their erroneous instructions, the system was on emergency heat, my heating bill for that period of time was $452.60 for one part of the period and $685.17 for the rest of the period. The bill for the same period the preceding year was $205.41 and $288.90. Due to their egregious error, my bill is $643.46 more than it was for the same period of time for the preceding year. I believe that in all fairness One Hour Baltimore Heating & Air Conditioning should pay for the excess amount of the cost of electricity. Further, their insincerity by ignoring my three attempts to correspond with them shows a lack of concern for consumers.

The two installers were on time, polite, respectful of us and property. They tested everything thoroughly and explained it to us very well! I would totally recommend Chilltrol !! They are awesome.! and let us not forget the Company representative that came to explain what they could provide, how it would be done, and give us an accurate estimate on cost and what to expect for service, if needed, later! This was a totally great experience!

What a HORRIBLE company to deal with! Never again! My AC went out on July 4, they came on the 6th and diagnosed a bad circuit board. The tech tried to sell me on joining their " club" (service policy) for better service. They were supposed to get the part and call me on Monday the 8th, they didn't call. I called them twice on the 8th and twice on the 9th, spoke to their call center and was promised call backs to no avail. I bought this system from them, they can't even stand behind their own existing clients! This is the poorest example of customer service that I have ever encountered! ****UPDATE***** They finally did get back to me and got the AC up completely on Thursday. The board that went out was covered under warranty but they charged $376 for the 10 minute installation. Really???

Tried for 3 days to get a representative to sell us a new heat pump. Never could reach anyone in the office for a price quote and to set up for an installation. Had to buy the new heat pump else where. I guess they didn't want our business. We'll be cancelling the service contract also. Very disappointed with them. They lost an old customer.

I have the monthly service plan which includes discounts on parts, priority service response, semi-annual maintenance, cleaning, and inspection of my HVAC System (Gas Furnace + Central AC Unit). Mr. Thien Nguyen came to perform the service call. He did an exceptional job, was very professional, introduced himself, explained everything step-by-step as he was performing the work. He checked and cleaned the inside and outside units, and asked if I had any questions or if there was anything I didn't understand. Mr. Nguyen was efficient and very professional, and ChillTroll does well in offering the maintenance plan that gives me discounts on parts, priority service response, semi-annual maintenance, cleaning, and inspection of my HVAC System. Whenever I've had to call them for repairs over the years, they arrive in a timely manner, and they have always resolved the problem quickly and within the terms of the contract (sometime at no additional cost). I would not hesitate to recommend ChillTrol (now known as One-Hour Hearing and Air Conditioning), and Mr. Mr. Thien Nguyen for HVAC Maintenance needs..

I met the representative, Fred, at the Home Show. We discussed the problems with my existing 17 year-old system, and set an appointment for him to come out and look at it. He was prompt, professional, and very courteous. He did not try to sell me what I did not need and took as much time as needed to answer all the questions I had. I told him that I wanted to take a few hours to think things over and to check references at the BBB & Angie's List. He told me to take my time and just contact him if and when I was ready. I asked how long it would be before I could have the work done and he stated he could probably get it done by Friday (it was Wednesday). After talking things over with a friend and checking the company out, I called him back and we set the time for the work to be done, two days later. On Friday the technicians showed up promptly. They were very courteous and professional and really worked hard, barely taking any time for breaks, and it surprised my how quiet and neat they were, too. When the work was finished the technician explained everything to me, showing me how to take things apart and put them together again, explaining the various functions of all the equipment that was installed. While he was doing so, he realized a slight problem, and told me he would fix it right away. For such a large project, it really was a very pleasant experience. This crew (Joe & Ken) was an exceptional one!

Was a very good experience. Tecnician was very thorough and answered all of my questions,

They were on time and experienced - know what they are doing.

Excellent customer service. Arrived on time. Used protective equipment to prevent damage to interior of home. VERY polite and considerate! Provided a thorough explanation of the problem, corrective actions, and instructions if the problem persists.

House had existing hot water baseboard with oil-fired boiler and a separate ducted central air system (20 years old). Boiler/ piping went out and we decided to utilize the existing ductwork for heat. I received three estimates for the work. All prices were comparable, so it came down to type of system and installer. Prior to deciding, I asked the salesperson from Chilltrol lots of questions both by phone or email, which he always answered within a couple hours. Was slightly leery of Chilltrol at first because they were recently acquired by One Hour (large national company). However, the sales service and install were first rate. The install techs were clean cut, polite, prompt, and efficient. I waffled on whether to have them remove the existing (now defunct) boiler in the house; I decided the day of install to have them remove it, and they came back the next day to get it out, at no additional charge. Following removal, the tenants noticed a leak in the hot water heater (to which the boiler had been tied). Chilltrol came back out and repaired that issue as well. I fully expected them to say it was not their problem as it turned out to be a faulty pressure release valve, but they fixed it at no charge. Bottom line: benefits of small local company with the backing of a large national corporation.

Installers did a nice job. Sales and management were terrible order two systems two others ere installed. Sales and mamngement would not respond to phone calls and could not explain choices or why equipment ordered wasn't installed. They couldn't provide contracts and then sent price sheets that didn't even identify manufacturers. The salesman did not quote prices by model, but then since they didn't even istall the manufacturer our "order identified" that's the least of the problem. How can you order Carrier Air conditioners have Trane Heat pumps delivered sent back and have Trane Air Conditioners installed and say you delivered the contract. Well you would need to return phone calls to say that, so I guess the point is mute. When ever we asked to speak to a manager we were told the salesmann would call us. He would eventually call hours later and say a manager would have to explain. That was the manager that the receptionist wouldn't identify or put us through to. Eventually I had to go to the state corporate registration and send a letter to get his response. We had used Chilltrol on our last house but would not use them after this dishonest exchange even if we had to pay more to another supplier. They sent price sheets with no manufacturers indentified (just hand written notations in the margin), justifying the amounts charged but with no way to verify even those claims. It would just be a lot easier to choose another supplier than to experience the worst transaction I have ever had.

They are very responsive and professional. They are very good and they do a good job.

Set an appointment with Chilltrol for an estimate for a new hybrid heating/cooling unit for grandma's house.They gave a window of 2 hours during which they would arrive. Confirmed the appointment time twice. Drove an hour to the location and waited for the entire window with no show. Tried calling three times during and after the window and they never picked up (kept me on hold and then dumped into an answering machine, never returned a phone call and never called the following business day to apologize for their no show. Apparently business is so good, they don't need sales.Called

They are very prompt, knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. The overall experience was excellent. The price and quality were excellent. They were responsive and professional. I would use this provider again.

We have always been happy with the work and the workers.

What an unfortunate ordeal its been. They failed the county inspection twice. The first time was because they didn't ground the flexible gas line used by my system. Apparently this is both the county and the manufacturer's requirement...so for a company that is based in my county (Anne Arundel) I was quite upset. That situation, plus what I'd call lazy customer service set me off. After failing the inspection...the inspector spoke with Chilltrol and explained the situation. They said they would get back to me to schedule an appt to fix the issue...two weeks went by without a word, so I called furious. On top of that, I was asked repeatedly for my BGE account number in order for them to process my BGE refund (still waiting), which I provided via email the first time it was asked. Then, at a minimum, I expected someone to follow up and ask me how my new system is treating me. I don't think this is too much to ask given that I spent thousands of dollars, the economy is in the toilet and customer service/referrals can make or break a company. After calling and complaining, I was put thru to the Sales Manager, who listed and took notes and offered to give me a bi-annual maintenance contract for my troubles. They finally came back out, early in the morning, as I told them I couldn't afford to continue to take off of work to wait for them, and ran a copper grounding line from the gas line to my main water supply. I scheduled an inspection again, only to have the inspector come out and laugh because they grounded the copper to a plastic pipe. Failure #2. This time the inspector suggested they run hard pipe to eliminate the need for the ground line. I called mad as ever and told them that now that I'd need to be around for them to fix the situation a third time, as well as take off another day of work to wait for the inspector, that I wanted to be compensated. I was told the Service Manager would get in touch with me. Once again two weeks went by without a word, so I called and was finally put in touch with the Service Mgr. I explained the situation, told him that their mistakes were costing me a small fortune and that I simply wanted to be reimbursed for time off. He offered me the bi-annual maintenance plan, which I informed him I already had, so that would do me no good...so he needed to speak with his manager and get back to me. Chilltrol came out, put in hard pipe and the system finally passed inspection (3rd time.) The Service Mgr called me back to explain that after speaking with his boss, they feel that I have been adequately compensated for this debacle. I told him that the maintenance contract was given after the first time they failed, not the subsequent issues. He said they don't give financial compensation as if they did for me, they would need to do so for everyone. BS...and if they did their jobs right, this would never come up. He also had additional excuses, such as they didn't realize the water supply pipe was plastic when they grounded to it...come on...you can't tell the difference between metal and plastic? He also said that because my hot water heater (which was installed before we bought the house 5 years ago) had a flexible gas line with no ground, they assumed they could do the same and he wasn't sure if the water heater ever had a permit pulled. BS again...aren't they supposed to know right from wrong and make sure their work is up to code? Why blame your mistakes on others? We ended the call with him telling me they stand behind their work. Ha. Needless to say I was and still am furious over this situation. All told I I had to be off of work for 6 days, not to mention time spent on the phone arguing with them...all of which adds up and costs. I'm now exploring legal avenues in order to seek compensation...I'm not out to get anyone, I simply want what I feel is right. I do hope my situation is the exception and not the rule with Chilltrol. I believe some of this was due to the fact that up until a few years ago, they were locally-owned and operated, and would always make the situation right no matter what. A few years back, they were bought out by a large Canadian company, now making Chilltrol part of one of the larger HVAC companies in North America. I can't say that this is why I've been through this ordeal, but I'm certain in some way it factors into it.

I did not go with this company as the price quoted was more than double the other companies I received bids from. The sale rep that came to the house was very knowledgeable and courteous. He arrived on time and was professional

So far, the installation has failed three county inspections!! The supervisor at Chilltrol has been completely unapologetic about the issues. We have asked Home Depot to give us a financial break on the installation, but they turned us down.

We chose them because of Angie's List.

They arrived when they said they would. They were very attentive from start to finish. They were really clean. They explained exactly what they were going to do. The price they gave me was the total price for the entire job. It depends on the type of furnace, the size of the furnace, and its efficiency. They did an excellent job. It was just a very pleasant experience. I would highly recommend them.

Totally butchered my house and installed a system that only heated/cooled my basement. At one point the foreman had installed a cold air return duct standing verticalle in the middle of my daughter's room ! Idiots. I have had to install duct insulation on the ducts in the my basement to get even marginal performance.

This was a bad-news-good-news situation that ended up well... The representative quoted a very competitive price - less than the closest estimate by more than $1000 to replace the inside and outside components of a 3 ton unit. The "first" unit was installed quickly and professionally. We are in a hot spell so we quickly figured it out when the unit did not seem to be able to keep up. The company came out twice to check and did a couple of things to improve the situation - but it did not keep up with the load. Then, we checked the serial/model number and found out that the wrong size (2 tons) was installed. When we called to discuss, the company politely confirmed that the wrong unit had been installed. The reason given was that the number entered into the computer was incorrect, resulting in delivery of the wrong unit. Though from a quality viewpoint, having the proper unit installed was the first choice. However, we are impressed with the manner in which the company recovered. All field representatives were friendly, courteous and professional.

CHILTROL INC. are the most expensive company in the business. I wanted to talk to them when I was sick to setle some issues with them, but I could never reach them. I would not recommend them quite frankly. I will tell you that the times they have come, I have had to pay them over 1000 dollars of money that I do not think I should pay.