Best HVAC Companies in Upper Arlington, OH

There are many HVAC companies that serve Upper Arlington, Ohio, and it’s not uncommon for homeowners to feel lost when they are choosing the right one for their needs. It’s not as though you buy a new air conditioner, furnace, or heat pump everyday. The process of picking an HVAC partner may feel a bit foreign.

You might think about choosing an HVAC company that offers the lowest cost and fastest service. Unfortunately, not all companies operate with the same standards, leaving you with an assortment of contractors with varying practices.

To help, we’ve listed some well-known HVAC firms that service Upper Arlington, Ohio.

Here at Fire & Ice Heating and Cooling, we believe we’re the best choice for many homeowners in Upper Arlington. But we also invite healthy competition to continually prove ourselves and the service we provide to our customers. That said, here are some HVAC companies you might turn to instead.

HVAC Contractors in Upper Arlington, Ohio

Aire-Flo Heating and Cooling

Aire-Flo has been serving the Central Ohio area since 1951. Their service areas include Dublin, Upper Arlington, and Westerville.

They are a Carrier Distinguished Dealer and provide HVAC services for residential and commercial furnaces, air conditioners, and boilers.

Quality Heating and Air Conditioning Inc.

Quality Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. provides HVAC solutions for Pickerington, Commercial Point, Plain City, Upper Arlington, Union County, and more.

Their services include installing and repairing gas furnaces, forced air heating systems, mini-splits, and Reme Halos.

Upper Arlington Heating and Air

Upper Arlington Heating and Air offers HVAC services for furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, duct cleaning, and dehumidifiers.

They perform installation and maintenance for brands such as Carrier, Coleman, Trane, Amana, Frigidaire, Comfortmaker, Bryant, Goodman, Maytag, Lennox, Rheem, Tempstar, and more.

Wolfe & Sons Heating & Cooling Inc.

Wolfe & Sons Heating & Cooling Inc. specializes in installing and repairing Lennox systems. They’ve been in operation since 1972 and offer a wide range of Lennox products that also includes indoor air quality products.

Their service areas include Upper Arlington, Gahanna, Shawnee Hills, and Powell.

What to Get out of a Sales Appointment with an HVAC Contractor

Sales representatives should give you a range of options to meet your budget and comfort needs. There’s no “one size fits all” HVAC solution. They need to work with you to make a decision that’s right for your unique home.

The salesperson’s main job is to get all the relevant information to make the best recommendation and present all your options. This starts with inspecting the existing equipment and figuring out if a particular replacement type makes more sense.

They should also be ready to listen. Has anything about the home changed since the last system was put in (an addition or new windows, for instance)? Are there pressing needs regarding the indoor air quality (IAQ) that need to be addressed? Too much humidity? Not enough? Is it too dusty? Some problems can be easily remedied.

For instance, a high-end filter (also called an air purifier) isn’t simply an upsell; if you have a family member with severe allergies, a HEPA filter can make a huge difference toward creating a healthy indoor atmosphere.

What Size HVAC System Do You Need?

The sales appointment should include a Manual J load calculation, which is a measurement of your home, combined with information such as how many doors and windows you have, how large they are, and how many occupants there are. This helps the HVAC rep know how powerful a system you’ll need to properly condition your home.

Read more: Sizing Your Air Conditioner, Heat Pump and Furnace

According to energy.gov, the “majority of systems—especially those installed as emergency replacements—are installed without performing detailed load calculations.” In other words, if your system is completely shut down, you might settle for a quick fix without worrying about the size, and the HVAC company knows it.

If your new unit is the wrong size, one of two outcomes could result. If it’s too big, it will deliver the cool or the warmth as promised, but it will do so too quickly. This means it will start up and shut down more times than it should, which is hard on the machine, decreases your energy efficiency, and doesn’t allow the indoor air a chance to mix thoroughly, leaving hot and cold spots.

If it’s too small, you can guess what happens: It will run longer than it should. That is also hard on the machine and will drive up your energy bills while delivering substandard comfort.

The pre-installation process should also include an analysis to see whether your existing ductwork is capable of delivering the correct amount of conditioned air to all areas of your home. If it isn’t, you’ll need to discuss how they might be altered to ensure the new system works the way it’s designed to.

All HVAC Companies Are Not the Same

The most important day in the life of an HVAC system is the installation day. You can buy the very same air conditioner or furnace from two different companies and get radically different results - even if the model and make are the same. One machine can be set up for failure, and the other - with proper maintenance - will give you 20 trouble-free years.

How?

Companies who hire third-party contractors and pay them by piece rate (paid by the number of jobs they do) are practically asking techs to hurry. They get quantity, not quality. To give the new HVAC unit the best chance to deliver optimum performance, an HVAC technician should take the time to do everything properly.

Techs should be paid by the hour.

Commissioning

Commissioning happens after the unit is installed and turned on. It’s a list of checks and balances that ensures all of the things that are designed to be happening do.

Thorough commissioning should measure up to 57 different variables on every installation. This ensures the optimal performance of your equipment. Commissioning is not always performed. There’s a chance that your installation is OK without testing it this way, but there’s no way for a homeowner to know for certain.

It can take up to an hour. Rather than racing to the next job, your HVAC provider should do it every time to make sure the work they do is up to the standard you deserve.

Digital Gauges

Digital testing gauges provide more accurate readings than traditional analog gauges. Even a small discrepancy between your system’s levels and its ideal levels can have a major impact. Every bit counts when it comes to the comfort of your home and the amount of your utility bills.

Nitrogen Brazing

Good HVAC service including brazing AC refrigerant lines with nitrogen, which prevents oxidation of the line. This protects against long-term damage. This step is often ignored or skipped. In an installation, that can be the difference between 15-20 years of smooth operation, or a shortened lifespan with mechanical issues costing you comfort and money.

Service After the Installation

Will the HVAC company come back after an installation to ensure the system is running as smoothly as it should? Do they offer warranties and maintenance plans? An HVAC company should be a partner in your investment, not a one-and-done installer who never shows up again

Choose the Right HVAC Contractor

Are you worried about choosing the best contractor? Check out our free HVAC Contractor Checklist below, which includes several questions to give you peace of mind about your next air conditioner or furnace investment. It will prepare you to hold your HVAC partner accountable for its quality and service.

Fire & Ice Customer Reviews: Upper Arlington, OH

Lindsey’s story below is one that we’re proud of because, despite everything we do to ensure quality work at all times, we’re not perfect. When those moments happen, we’ll do everything we can to fix the issue and ensure that the customer has peace of mind knowing that their system has been taken care of.

“After some ups and downs in the beginning, Fire and Ice ended up being a great company to work with. Long story short the initial technician missed something on the initial diagnosis so we repaired the system and then still ended up replacing everything. The mistake made by the initial tech was rectified by the service manager and after this issue Fire and Ice truly did everything they could to make the situation more positive. The install process was done by Lane and Justin, who were FANTASTIC! They were very polite and did a great job with all parts of the installation process. I'm thrilled we had them as the team doing all of our work. They didn't rush through anything and I could tell they truly wanted to do everything perfectly.” – Lindsey J.

“All around a good experience! We consulted with Roger on our purchase and he was very pleasant to work with, there was no pressure on the sale, and he explained everything great. The guys that installed - Will, Leroy, and Bryan - were equally great at their work, and friendly, too. Leroy gets some extra kudos for working outside most of the day on the AC unit of all things when it was a six-degree high that day. They cleaned up well afterward and Bryan demoed the new thermostat. Thank you for doing a great job!” – Adam Smith

What Steps Can You Take Now?

If the only thing you’re worried about is price, or you’re in an emergency and just need something installed NOW, you will ignore some of these takeaways. But price is only the starting point.

HVAC installation is complicated. The difference between a good installation and a bad one is the difference of hundreds of dollars per year in system efficiency. You’ll never know how much comfort you’re missing; you’ll get used to it, even though it’s not optimal.

A regular, comprehensive maintenance program can save you thousands in the long run and extend the system’s life by up to a decade. 

Including an IAQ product (such as a whole-home dehumidifier) represents a larger initial investment, but it can increase efficiency and comfort while reducing energy costs.

Last, an HVAC contractor who is concerned about all these things is going to bring you the peace of mind to know you’re making the right decision. And there’s no price you can put on that.

If you’re thinking about a new system and are in Upper Arlington, Ohio, or the surrounding areas, call us today to schedule your free estimate. We’d love to help you make the right decision.