Airmerica is an HVAC company that dismisses your concerns, installs faulty systems, and then tries to upsell you on expensive "solutions." They'll beat any price you bring the table but you get what you pay for.
Ryan, the owner and install technician, installed a new AC and furnace in my house. About a year later, I contacted them about a persistent "funky smell" coming from my AC after having not used it for a few months during the winter. He waved off the issue, suggesting the smell was merely "due to us cooking," then dirty sock syndrome which can't be explained or treated, and offering temporary "smelly stuff" (basically air freshener in my furnace) that was part of my twice a year maintenance plan that's 3x what others charge. None of this fixed the issue, and was eventually told I need to an expensive air purification system called "Phenomenal Air." I thought I already had that since he upsold me on a Plasma Pure Air purifier during initial installation of my system, but that apparently does nothing.
After getting two other opinions from more reputable HVAC businesses who have been in business longer and have way more 5 star reviews, I discovered the actual, fundamental problem: a clear workmanship issue where my unit's drain pan is tilted away from the condensate pump which causes standing water. These other HVAC pros independently agreed this is an issue and likely the cause of the smells.
When I brought this clear installation error to Airmerica, they refused to fix it under their workmanship warranty and instead insisted on charging a "labor fee." Ryan says standing water in HVAC is normal and that the tilt away from the condensate pump is not an issue because "there is no gravity in the system." I had to try hard not laugh - he was trying to convince me that he installed a vacuum in my furnace where gravity has no effect. I'm not sure why Ryan is in HVAC when he's a real physicist.
When I proposed the logical, cheaper step of fixing the drain pan first to see if that solves the smell--a fix all other professionals recommended they cover--they stonewalled me. They refused to provide an upfront quote for the drain pan repair, instead telling me to get a quote from a competitor so they could "price match". Why would I trust these guys to do any more work?
The entire experience was marked by arrogance. Ryan loves to quote his 30+ years in the industry and truly believes no one knows HVAC better than him. When you ask him questions, he explains things without empathy or understanding. Don't bother offending his genius with opinions from more reputable HVAC pros.
What a total lack of accountability for their own installation errors and terrible business practice of trying to undercut every bid. Even after having referred people, including my sister-in-law, to them, they chose to fight me on a clear workmanship issue. Stay far away from this company.
Oh and by the way, I shimmed the drain pan to fix the tilting so that it's properly driving water toward the condensate pump. Smells are gone. read more