ARS / Rescue Rooter

Very Disappointing… I just dropped $ 7100 with these guys on a new HVAC and had a plumbing issue a few weeks later so I figured I would call them. They gave me a quote for about $ 400 more than the repair should cost with no explanation of the extra cost. After spending that kind of money you would think they would be grateful and not try to gouge me for that kind of money. Already called 3 other plumbers that said the cost was outrageous for the standard repair I need. Asked about the price and they took it down by about $ 200 which is still ridiculous, paid $ 90 for them to come out and look. So disappointed with ARS!

Upsell, Upsell, Upsell. ARS appears to be a very sales driven organization, that is attempting to pull money out of my pocket.
I went with the AC and heating system maintenance contract. The AC was done in the spring and the heating in the fall. Both technicians told me that I need several things done… but I don’t feel comfortable with the recommendations and therefore service. You can tell they are trained to sell you products.
One of my neighbors recommended a small company out of Durham, as they are honest and have been in business for 20 or so years and provided good service. Another neighbor made this comment, «both ARS and Service Experts, who ALWAYS tried to get us to put in new ducts, dual thermostats, etc… you name it. Will never go back to either of them.» This is my experience. I’m going with CWJ next time.
The heating guy just recommended replacing a component. I checked youtube and we are not experiencing the related symptom and if we were, the first thing to do is clean it. Did he clean it? No idea. But he wanted to replace it but did not have it on hand.

I called them because my upstairs air conditioner was out. The technician arrived on Saturday and said I needed a new motor which would run me around $ 1800. My whole house is only 4.5 years old so I asked about a warranty and he said he would check when he could talk to the parts guy on Monday. When Monday rolls around he calls and says only $ 1600 and no warranty. I said no thank you and called a friend who had been out of town on Saturday and has done HVAC stuff for decades and he replaced the motor (which cost less than $ 600 without the 100% markup) and also was able to get it done under warranty so I only had to pay for his time.

I called for an appointment to check out my HVAC units. The appointment was set 2 days from when I called. In that time my lower AC went out. Lucky me? Well I know they were coming out and would be able to fix whatever was wrong. 7÷6÷2015 ARS was at my door. they called me 45 minutes before they got there. The Tech introduced himself and was very presentable young man. His name was Alfredo Olive. He checked out my HVAC units. He sat down with me and recommended a few things and also told me when was wrong with my lower AC unit. I gave him the go ahead to repair the unit. A capacitor was out. I also signed up with them for the fall service. Alfredo was an excellent Tech. He explained everything in detail on what was to be done. I would recommend him and ARS to anyone who wants to have there HVAC serviced. My experience was a 5 star plus experience.

Josh B was at our house 4÷2÷15 to carry out a spring maintenance check of our HVAC units. Josh has always been on time, pleasant and professional. He carries out his work and spends time reviewing actions and needs. Josh B is one of the reasons I continue a long term relationship with ARS. They are simply the best at what they do.

Overpriced and dishonest would be a good start of a review for this company. I’m not sure how they are with regard to their plumbing department, but HVAC service is awful, and I do feel as though they tried to rip me off. They stated I needed to replace the ignitor module board and spark ignitor in my gas pack, which was going to cost over $ 1,000, plus they’d have to order the parts. They also suggested I consider replacing the entire unit. The unit is only 7 years old, and what they were telling me made me a bit suspicious. I ended up researching the parts for that particular unit myself, and found both parts to total less than $ 200, which immediately through up another red flag! I felt I was indeed being ripped off. I ended up calling another company for a second opinion, and I’m so glad I did. The issue was in fact a bad ignitor module board, so I’ll give ARS that, however the spark ignitor was fine and did not need replaced. The new company didn’t have to order any parts and had the repairs completed by the next morning for less than $ 300. That is quite a difference from the $ 1,000+ ARS quoted. A big difference!

Pleasant and on-​time technician for annual HVAC maintenance. Maintenance leaves us with sticker shock. Replacing filter and UV bulbs cost totals $ 773 (includes a $ 161 annual maintenance agreement that covers two visits) thus our costs for filter and bulb replacement is $ 640 for this visit – even though we had the maintenance agreement in effect. $ 362 for Activetek bulb replacement (retail cost of the bulb seems to be in the $ 30-​$ 50 range). Work time total less than 1 hour. I asked to look at the price book – this is an ARS charge book, not a cost book. No offer of returning the old bulb – when I was a car mechanic we would show or give the customer the used/​worn art. There must be a less expensive way.

Josh was efficient and courteous. He resolved my issue quickly; suggested a solution to a different issue (return vent whistling) but did not push for a sale.

Thank goodness for Josh. IT is the eve of the coldest day of the year and my furnace went out. He got here within half an hour of my call and fixed the heating fast. Thanks

Alfredo spotted the problems with the system right away and gave me options and his recommendations. It’s an old system due for replacement, so it wouldn’t make sense to spend over $ 1000 (and still have to wait for the parts to come in). So he put me in touch with a project manager to get the replacement. Even though the system wasn’t in a condition to become operational in the short term, he was very professional and helpful. Would definitely recommend.

Josh B. was very helpful in my annual heating maintenance visit. He was thorough and friendly and he arrived within the window I was given for service. He even had me come up into my attic to show me what he was talking about. He recommended some services and parts but was not pushy about it. I was very happy with this visit.

We have used ARS for 20 years, and always find them to be prompt, efficient and professional.

They installed the HVAC systems in our new home as a sub-​contractor of the builder. They have been very responsive and both service personnel (Derek and Christian) have been efficient and knowledgable.

4 years after installing a ARS-​recommended HVAC unit and having the unit serviced twice a year, the unit stops working. For less than 1 hr worth of labor ARS charges $ 1,100. Once I pull out the extended warranty contract with ARS for that same unit the same labor is now $ 387 but to be billed to the HVAC manufacturer. So, ARS would charge the customer $ 1,100 for labor on a standard repair that lasts less than 1 hour but claim $ 387– worth of labor to the manufacturer. The manufacturer would laugh if ARS were billing them $ 1,100 for that job. The consumer who trusts ARS is stuck with a $ 1,100/hr bill four years after installing the same ARS-​recommended HVAC unit.
To top it off when I call the local ARS office to complain I’m met with attitude and a threat of consequences if I ever complain about this on social media. Great business model!

Michael H worked extra hard and extra hours to help fix an issue with my HVAC system. He detected a part that needed to be replaced and did the work to replace it. Then he noticed the pressure was low due to a leak. He worked extra hours of Friday evening and then again on Monday evening to make sure the leak was repaired. I enormously appreciate his dedication and commitment to excellent service. This was a warranty repair so there was no charge, but I complete appreciate his efforts.

Josh B was right on time and very professional and courteous. He took the time to explain the problems with my unit and was very efficient in making the repairs. I hadn’t used ARS before and received excellent customer service both on the phone and at my appointment. I would definitely recommend them!

ARS was available when we needed them. The technician, Josh, came out and diagnosed the problem. He did a great job of explaining the problem and was able to offer a solution.
He went and got the parts needed and was back promptly and had our unit back working at full capacity the same day.
I really appreciate the time he took to not only explain what was going on, but also showing me the problem (it is always nice to see the actual problem when you can).

Worst HVAC system installers that are out there. BUYER BEWARE. I bought a new HVAC system 6 months ago and it has broken down 5 times — not heating or cooling. I will never use them again.

We used ARS for our annual heating/​air unit service. We had a great customer experience working with Erik J. from ARS! Erik is extremely professional, courteous, and detail oriented. He arrived on time and was very thorough in his review. I look forward to working with ARS & Erik again.
Thank you!

2 Stars for these people. High prices for repairs. The employees do know what they are doing, the guy that came out to my place was nice and apologized for being late (3 & ½ hours after I called for service). Was able to fix the problem then explained I needed to fork out money for a new part that was going to cost me $ 200.00. I told him «no» for the new part and he said this quote is good for the next 30 days. I’m not satisfied with they company and I’m not sure I will call them again in the future.
Promptness F
Courtesy B
Problem fixed: Yes & No
BBB ACCREDITED BUSINESS SINCE 09/​01/​1999
BBB Grade A+
This business is fully licensed