Richards Heating & Air Conditioning Co Inc

I would absolutely use this provider again if I need to.

I can't tell you how pleased I was with all aspects of the service. A representative came to my house several days after I called and gave me an estimate. The airconditioner was installed the next week. The service technicians were courteous and professional and were finished with the job much sooner than I expected. I might add, the cost of this job was much less that two other estimates I had for the same work. Paul G.

I knew there was no way for the condensate line to be moved, but I figured I'd let them determine that on their own. The day before, they called to move the appointment to the afternoon (despite having scheduled it weeks in advance) -- no big deal. The day they came out, the tech just threw up his hands, agreeing with me that my original solution was the best one and apologizing that he could not do the job. He said the office would be in touch to reschedule. They called back the next day and said that they "don't do this sort of work in the summer" and that I should wait until January when they have time for it. If they had said that up front I would have been fine with that answer, but they wasted a month of my time when I could have lined up someone else to do the job. Not very professional at all.

As it often goes, we were not anticipating our A/C to die this summer. Fearing the worst, from a cost perspective, my husband consulted friends and bounced those recommnedations against high-performers on Angie's List for a list of companies to provide an estimate of replacement. While we were able to talk another company into matching Richards price, Richards was the lowest estimate by far (all units/service being equal), and from the start. As a result, they earned our business. Based on the estimate, installation was scheduled to occur roughly 1 week after we agreed to proceed. Richards arrived around 9:00am and worked through the day, until about 3pm. They were professional, kind, and responsive to questions. There is little more to say, other than we are pleased to have a functioning A/C unit again, and highly recommend Richards for their fair estimates and professional service. We also purchased a yearly service agreement. P.S. Our neighbors mentioned seeing Richards at our house, and commented that he and his son's family use Richards as well.

Arrived on time completed quickly and efficiently. Explained more sophisticated thermostat after installation.

Before Richards I had been working with my home warranty company HMS to fix the outside unit of my 2 ton heat pump. The trouble started in February with a lack of heating and continued well into June when the cooling didn't work. I saw five different service company representatives and repairmen, most of which were from small companies (undoubtedly because the insurance company wants to do a minimum fix at minimum cost with little to no consideration for doing it right). When the June problems started I thought it was 12 years old combined with being at my my wits end and ready to replace everything I finally opened Angies list. I called two well known and highly rated companies. Richards came within 24 hours of my call. I was positively astounded how pleasant it was to deal with someone who knew so much about HVAC. Their representative looked at the outside and inside systems and quickly dissuaded me from replacing the whole system. He explained that my inside unit was an excellent one and that with the possible exception that the humidifier wasn't working I should stay with it. He then told me the three main items that should be replaced based on my explanation of the parts that had already been replaced in the outside unit, the condition of the electrical connection outside and the type of thermostat I had (a lousy one). In about 20 minutes from the start of examining my equipment and discussing symptoms with me the gave me a quote for replacement of the 2 ton outside unit, the thermostat, the outside electrical connections and repair of the humidifier. I then added another symptom for him and told him that the air was sometimes not really very cold on the very hot summer days. He looked up the cost of moving from a 2 ton unit to a 2.5 ton unit and it was only $100 more. What a bargain! I felt so good about it. I paid him in full that day. (I know, not recommended but....) They came roughly 3 business days later. I was not at home and had coordinated for them to do it without me since most of the work was outdoors anyway. They let me know they arrived on time and began the work. A couple hours later they called to let me know that fixing my old Honeywell humidifier was going to be beyond the cost of a new one. They said they could leave it, remove it and close the hole, or replace it. There was zero pressure to do any particular option, just like there was from the estimator. I had the new one put in at a very reasonable addition to the overall cost. Whe I arrived home that day, everythinng was working splendidly and the last couple of very hot days reminded me I needed to put this feedback in to report the truly great job by Richards. My home HVAC has not worked this well in years.

We were having issues and with AC unit and furnace since past 1 year and had contacted various providers to get the estimates for new system. They were prompt and punctual. They educated us on different options available and their price was very competitive. The whole installation went smooth and on time. Along with the new system we have purchased 5 year labor warranty also.

The original capacitor on my air conditioning system gave out on 6/11/12. As always when I've used Richards' in the past (I have a contract with them), they were responsive and prompt. Roger, the service tech, has often come to the house for the annual A/C and furnace inspections, so I knew I was in good hands. The capacitor was replaced and the air conditioning was up and running within 20 minutes. Richards has consistently performed very well for me and I am again very pleased with them.

It went smooth. Replaced some extras like rusting venting pipes and lines that some contractors said not necessary. Install done in one day. Had an issue with airflow. Called them to check it out. They came out and addressed the problems with no charge.

I had used Richards in a previous residence for a repair to my AC and was very happy with them. When we moved we needed a new hot water heater and I call them first off but received the phone company message that the number had been disconnected. I figured they had gone out of business as the economy was tanking. I searched around and used ARS - HUGE mistake, it was AWFUL (but that is a separate review). Then, a few months later I saw a Richards HVAC truck around the neighborhood and quickly noted the phone number (same one I had had before) this time it worked - YA!. I set-up an annual spring/fall HVAC check-up (cost I listed is approximate for the service, I can't remember the precise amount). Very happy each time they come. Always prompt, polite and efficient. This spring when Roger came out it was too cold to get an accurate reading from the AC and he had had to wash the dryer lint off of the unit so it was wet and not helping with an accurate reading overall he felt it was not putting out the temperatures he would like. Instead of just saying he couldn't do it because of weather he asked if I minded if he came back on a warmer day to retest it as he didn't want us to be without AC if a heat wave came knowing we have a child with asthma so we can't open the windows in the spring/summer because of pollen. Sure enough, the next really hot day I got a call from the office and he came out that afternoon. The coolant was low and he recharged it. No charge for the extra visit and a reasonable and nominal fee for the coolant. He showed me exactly how to rinse off the AC grills to keep the unit running its best and prolong its lifespan. At the fall check-up he showed me how to change the duct openings to get the most efficient use of hot/cold air.

We installed a new Bryant furnace with variable speed fan back in November 2011 by a different contractor. Our hope was that the AC unit would make it for another couple of years but it stopped working during the first few warm days in April. Unlike with the furnace were we did not bid out the purchase we wanted to compare prices. We picked the 4 top rated Angies List suppliers and invited them to bid. Our online research concluded that we were interested in the above mentioned Carrier Infinity line which allowed us to get like for like quotes. All contractors were thorough in first ensuring that the tonnage of the unit would be right and the existing ductwork could take the airflow. While some had price binders with them and were able to give instance pricing others said they would have to calculate the labor part and reply by email. This process was swift and concluded that Richards was almost $2k cheaper than the next cheapest supplier. This raised our suspicion as it was not clear how Richards could be that much cheaper - Jim one of the owners gave us assurance and the quotes included the model numbers of the Carrier units which made it clear. We decided to use them. The installation was the very next day of giving Richards the green light and the two workers MJ and Tony arrived on time. I was guided step by step through the process and both were extra friendly and very professional during the install. Adam a third worker joined later in the morning to build some new sheet metal fittings onsite. They were thorough and very knowledgeable and as it turns out work with Richards since many years. We could not have been luckier with the workers the company sent. About 7 hours later the install was complete and the new thermostat explained to me. What a great product this Carrier Infinity line is. Works fabulous. Richards has given us a one year option to install a whole house humidifier since the new thermostat has the ability to control humidity and this might be ideal for the winter. Long story short we were skeptical at first but are happy that we were brave enough to choose the "cheapest" quote and we were not disappointed. Thank you Jim, MJ, Adam and Tony for your great service!

We have a maintenance contract with them. They are very good. They are very direct with the things they need to do, how long they will last, and what we need to do to get things to work optimally. They are very helpful. We pay twice a year for the contract. I will continue to use them in the future.

I like the professionalism of their personnel. They are punctual; they show up when they say they are going to. I have had a good experience with them. They know what they are doing; if something is not working properly they fix it, and they don’t try to sell me anything I don’t need. If I need them for service they are here.

Exterior compressors were failing. It was time for replacement. Upgraded everything. Richards was upfront and honest about all costs and very accommodating on the install. They brought two crews to get it done in a timely fashion. They put down drop clothes everywhere.

It was time to replace my original, builder-grade, 16 year old a/c system and furnace. I scheduled six short notice, same-day estimates on 4/17/2012. I used only Angies List top-rated HVAC companies in my area. Richards was my last appointment of the day - they agreed to an 8pm appointment for the estimate. The estimator, Richard, emailed me the next day with three estimates for different options - good, better, best. All of the price points were the best I received. He did not try any hard-sell or up-sale tactics. He provided me model numbers and included pdf brochure attachments. Richards is a Carrier-exclusive company, and they beat the next-closest estimate of a same or similar Carrier system by $1,300. I even spoke to one of the other estimators the next day who was still looking for my business, and when I told him about the Richards quote, he said "I'm not sure how they can offer that price..." I had my new Carrier HVAC system installed by Richards within 36 hours of the estimate. Courteous, clean, quick service. Excellent pricing.

The voltage system is lower in Old Town Alexandria, and the technicians tried to replace several pieces of the system, which are under 10-year warranty. Richard's discovered the voltage concern, corrected the problem and refunded me the charges for the number of visits necessary to fix the EnergyStar heating and Air Conditioning system.

I got five estimates from leading HVAC companies in Northern VA. The prices and equipment recommendations varied widely (one was a crazy recommendation of running new flues....this was a small townhouse). The owner of Richards gave us a reasonable recommendation to meet our needs and his prices were better than the others. The work was done in one day and the service techs were very professional. I used to service appliances years ago so the inside scoop from them was that Richards HVAC is a great place to work and it showed.

When we first contacted Richards, they were very friendly and got back to us right away to book an appointment to give us an estimate. They had the best prices of the companies we talked to, and good reviews on AL. When we let them know we were ready for the work to be done, they scheduled a "pre" appointment so that the lead technician could come to our house and take a look at what his team would be dealing with. Initially, they were only going to replace our HVAC system (furnace and AC unit), and add an extra duct/vent to our converted attic. We had just one vent in our attic (which we want to be our master bedroom), and it wasn't nearly enough to heat and cool the space. The salesman suggested adding an extra duct to remedy this problem. When the technician came out, he told us that would not solve the problem (which is consistent with what other HVAC experts have told us), and he recommended a Mitsubishi Mr. Slim mini-split ductless system. Despite the cost (more than $4K), we decided to go with it because we need to use that room. Despite its name, the Mr. Slim isn't exactly small (though in terms of AC units and heat pumps, I guess it is). We're happy we went with it, though -- it works great and is very quiet. That floor of our house is now livable and very comfortable, no matter the weather. We're also very happy with our HVAC system. It's also very quiet and we've noticed a difference in the quality of heating and cooling we get now. Everyone we came in contact with at Richards was very professional and friendly. The team did a great job of installing everything -- and they were very neat and clean.

The initial repairman did an excellent job getting us cooling in the heat of July. But, the AC/heater was not going to continue for more than a couple of days. The quote to replace the system was professional. The replacement crew arrived at the exact time they promised, worked quickly, and departed at the approximate time the crew thought they'd be leaving. They laid down cloths thoughout the house where they worked. At the end, they cleaned up everything and vacuumed with their own equipment where every they had been. They took away all evidence of the old system. Through the rest of the year and into 2012, the replacement equipment has worked exceedingly well. The equipment is a Carrier, afterall. The original Carrier lasted 26 years. I'm sure the replacement carrier will last 25 years, also.

Technician found that heat pump AC connection had corroded to the point where the unit had no power. Technician spliced the AC cable. All was well. Price was reasonable.

They did a good job. They have serviced it since this time. They always come promptly and provide great follow up.

I want to take a few minutes to publicly thank William and the installation team who removed and replaced our worn unit with the new Carrier unit. My wife and I find the new system heats our house so much more rapidly, and to a warmer level than the original setting. We have to reduce the settings from the earlier temperature selections. The crew arrived at 9:00 AM as promised and began work with little delay. They placed protective cloth over the walkways they planned to use, and were very careful taking the old unit out to the driveway. They installed the replacement unit, and positioned the copper lines and wires professionally and in tidy runs clamped with wire ties to keep them out of the way. They cleaned up after themselves such that it was hard to know someone had been there. I asked questions about the new and different types of equipment and I received full answers. The installers left all the equipment manuals and provided training on the programmable thermostadt they installed. Overall, very good work and I would recommend Richards to anyone who is looking for a good contractor to replace/update a home heating/cooling system.

Our 5 year old Ruud power vent water heater stopped working Friday night (ECO failure). According to our research and after speaking with various contractors were advised that is an expensive, difficult, and not advised repair. Due to the structure of our home, we needed to replace it with another power vent water heater. A tankless solution was considered; however, the time involved for meeting a sales repre., reviewing proposals, obtaining permits, cost, etc. to install one at this time was not feasilbe as we did not want to wait that long in the middle of winter. After some research, we found that Bradford White was a far superior brand of water heater than the brand we had before. We contacted three different vendors for proposals for this brand and, similiar to when our home air conditioning unit went out last summer at the start of a major heat wave, Richard's came in with the best price ($1,000 less than the competitors!) and the best delivery/installation time. We were very pleased with the work and the new water heater has been working wonderfully!

We have been their customers about 15 years. Did their usual good job.

I spent $6,000 on them. They seemed to be excellent and thorough. They did a good job and they did it quickly. I will use them again in the future.