If I could give this company zero stars I would. A routine maintenance check quickly turned into what felt like a sales pitch - and ultimately a scam directed at a single mom who maybe didn't know any better. I was told my 2019 unit needed a replaced compressor and I was given an astronomical quote for the compressor of $9,000. I consulted with two other companies, and they stated that a new compressor (if needed) would be around $2,000+. The technician then suggested I should "just replace the entire unit" for $13,500 claiming it would be under warranty unlike the quoted $9,000 for a new compressor. What makes this even more concerning is that this company installed the unit in 2019 with previous owners and by 2026 they were already recommending replacing the entire system! After having other HVAC professionals look at the system, it became clear the compressor did not need to be replaced at all and was a misdiagnosis by the technician. To make matters worse, the technician left the equipment area messy and did not properly or safely reconnect part of the unit, both inside and outside. I had even sat out a new air filter for the technician to replace during this maintenance visit, and he instead he sat the dirty one outside of the unit. He never replaced the air filter with either the dirty/old one or put in the new one that I had set out and told him about. I would strongly recommend not working with this company unless you are interested in a scam, sales pitch, and unethical work. read more

This company is horrible. They came out to do maintenance on my AC unit. A week later the unit started leaking water all over the basement. They came out again and purged the system as it was clogged due to their cleaning capsules not resolving properly. A week later, the unit leaked again. they said the pan was cracked and wanted to charge $5000 for a new pan. I called another AC repairman for a second opinion. He showed me the pan was not cracked and just need a cleaning. His repair was $130. Fernen and Dermer tried to pull a fast one and get us for a big repair. Be careful with these guys. read more

I made an online appointment with this company as they were housed in my neighborhood years ago and they had a good reputation then. I received a confirmation of the service with repeated texts and emails for the appointment. The day of the appointment I called to see where I was on the appointment list, I was told they were not able to come as I was outside of their service area. It was very disappointing as we are cold! We have no heat. They said it was computer generated. This was very poor customer service in their part. Why not call and make me aware of the concern? read more

replace ECM motor.ON York Aircomditioner. ONLY!! Got diagnosis from BLUE Dot Who quoted $800.00 Could not employ them as parts were under warranty with YORK. Farner and Dermer added more repairs that were absolutely NOT NEEDED AND CHARGED US over $2.000 dollars. As a SENIOR was very dishonorable and very abusive. Was pressured into signing or would not come back to finish the job. Was 100 degrees and I have severe Asthma. I hope someone reads this and has good luck with another business They do not rate any," STARS!" read more

The tech did come out promptly when we had AC issues. When he arrived, our system was working, just not cooling sufficiently. He proceeded to tell me it would cost $2,500.00 to fix the situation. Given the fact that the system was not old, his analysis didn't seem sound. When he left, the entire system had failed. Thermostat was dead. Compressor not working, no fan on, etc. I called the company, and they told me they would look into it and call me back. They never did. I would NOT recommend this company. read more

If you would like to be cheated out of your money, Farnen & Dermer is the way to go. I signed up for a dual maintenance plan where you have a technician come out in the winter and summer to do maintenance on your system. The technician arrives, sans shoe covers mind you, "inspects" the system and basically deduces that my heating issue is due to me having an old system and I needed it replaced (about 10K). My HVAC technically still heats but not to the potential that I know it can. I know I have an older unit but it still works. I ask if there are any other options that will hold me over until I am ready to get a new unit. He says no, but I can finance the new system -_- I said OK, let me explore some other options. I fortunately had a HONEST HVAC company come out and inform me that I just need a new fan motor ($500). I'm like "so I don't need a new unit?" They're like "for what? Yes, your system is old but it works well so no need". I got my new motor and have been fine ever since. The same Farnen & Dermer tech comes out today for my Spring/Summer maintenance and he's like "oh, I see you got it fixed". I'm like "yes, I got it fixed. Why didn't you offer this option to me knowing that all I needed was a new fan motor which cost a couple of hundred? Why was the first and only option selling me a new unit?" He says "well you know it's my job to sell you things. You know the business." -_- Sir, get the f-ck out of my house. The only business I know is to RETAIN clients and be transparent with their options, which Farnen & Dermer has not done with me. They don't even replace your air filter, which I'm used to other companies doing. What exact maintenance did I pay for? The technician probably thought because I'm young and a female I could easily be swindled. THINK AGAIN SIR. read more

Zero stars if I could. Where do I begin? We used their services about 2 years ago. The work was very expensive but we thought it was necessary. Fast forward to present day, our HVAC unit completely stops working during this heat wave. My fiance calls them again and they claimed that it would be $11, 000 to replace the motor because it is so rare and old and may take months to arrive. A new HVAC would cost $14,000. After doing some research, this is a high price point but with in line to what new systems would cost. I got on my knees and pray to the Lord Jesus to direction. After praying, the Holy Spirit told me to go on deep dive of research. I spent an hour researching and came across this company who had not only great reviews, but were praised for their honest business practices. We called them in to inspect. After 2 days, they responded and let us know it would be less than $800 and the part would take 2 days to arrive. I can't remember the name of the company but the man's name is Nestor. I will update this review if I find it. Farnen & Dermer is either HIGHLY INCOMPETENT or NOT HONEST in business practices; either way, stay away. There is so much more to this story but these are the major facts. These reviews are either bought or people just accepted the 1st quote they were given and thought they received a reasonable price. They try to use these sale tactics on you like you're getting a good deal. I was in sales for 7-8 years-I recognized them. Our unit is running fine now and our house has cooled down praise God. read more

Updating review - HVAC installed 2021, non-stop faulty system every summer without fail. In 2022 it took over a week for a part replacement. This year F&D has been out no less than 5x now - including a 1/2 day and full day affair - and we are now going on a full week without air with no set day or time for a fix as they claim to be waiting on yet another part (what company doesn't have parts for the systems they install?). Every time a new tech comes to our home and comes up with a new problem; the system "works" for a few days and then stops. So far it's been a "possible leak," a replaced indoor coil and now a broken fan motor - all on a 3 year old system. The office is completely unapologetic and plays the not answering the phone game until you block your number/call from a different number. Even one of the owners we spoke with couldn't care less - the equivalent of shrugging their shoulders and saying "sorry about it." We plan to file a complaint with the State of Maryland and are looking into other actions to take. The ones who suffer the most are our pups, who we've been carting around to other family homes so they don't have to be in 85-90 degree temps. Please please steer clear of this company!!! This should NOT be OK. read more

We purchased a house that has a new HVAC system from Farnen and Dermer. Within 1 year of us moving in our AC had several massive issues that F & D refused to honor because "we weren't the buyers of the system". Aside from that, we found out that due to their neglect when installing the HVAC they forgot to wrap and insulate it, leading to a leak and water damage. Avoid at all costs read more

We had used them for 25 years in our house, when Frank had been President. Our heater wasn't working so of course we called them first. What a mistake. They replaced our hot water heater, heater & air conditioning, we paid them $18,350. We expected them to put to high quality products but we were wrong. A month after the installation, our hot water started leaking, they said they repaired it, it was an inefficiency model, they declined that which the plumber had told us. Each month, we had a water leak, we asked them to replace the hot water heater, they declined. We hired another HVAC company to oversee our problem & they told F&D what to do until 5 months later, they reimbursed us for the hot water heater. We had 3 plumbers look at the hot water heater, they reported it was not sufficient for our system. There staff was rude & not knowledgeable, Zach & Jay were not responsible , it got to the point they wouldn't return phone calls when we had a leak. Our Condo assigns told residents not to use them based on our experience. read more

2 stars because they had good response time to my request and Charlie was very polite and transparent. The service charge was very reasonable as well. Unfortunately the rest comes up to what is charged. Maybe it's in the nature of the business to charge just about 1520% over the commercial value for a furnace part. I can't in good conscious leave a good review knowing that for $50 at The Home Depot and $153 from Supplyhouse I can match a predatory $2350 estimate. read more

He was one of two techs that came to diagnose my unit. Needless to say stay away from these clowns as well as blue dot. This guy tried to swindle my wife, as I had to go into work that day, into buying a new furnace to replace our 5.5 year old furnace his diagnosis was "I wouldn't even bother to fix this" and he didn't he thought he had a sucker quoted her for $8500 and she immediately called me. I told him to gtho of my home and suddenly it became "well I could repair it for $5500". Im a electrician so I don't fully know hvac but I knew enough to know this wasn't right. So I called another company blue dot to come check it out but they are just as incompetent. A quick YouTube explanation of error code 3-1 and a trip to my local supply store got me a $10 pressure switch and 10 minute repair of my unit MYSELF!! Ladies I hate to say this but please if you can have a male present so this company doesn't send a scam artist "tech" to sell you something that you don't need. Also, my local supply store told me that they get constant complaints about them regularly trying to take peoples money with their fake diagnosis's. Please look at the flashing LED light on your unit and do a quick google search or look in your manual, it could save you thousands of dollars!!! read more

Shaun arrived on time (a little early even). He was efficient and kept us informed as he worked. Even told us about a second visit to check the other part of the system that is included in the price we paid. read more

Can't say enough good things about Farnen and Dermer! The website was easy to use and the scheduling was flawless. Glenn our technician should be a role model for how HVAC professionals conduct themselves. He was friendly and thorough we have confidence that our problem was resolved and promptly! He also took the time to give us maintenance recommendations. Kudos to Farnen and Dermer now I know who to use and recommend for HVAC read more

Please avoid doing business with this company!!! I have spent over $30k with these people for 2 systems in my home. The installation was poor and systems are constantly having problems. My systems are less than 2 years old and company refuses to return my calls when I report a problem. I recently had no A/C for over a week and called and left messages to no avail. I had just paid $209 for them to do a PM on June 12 and they said I needed a part for my system which would cost $750. I knew that was total BS and called a reputable A/C contractor to repair system. It cost $99 to fix and I was up and running in less than 1 hour. Please avoid these rip off artists at all costs. read more

Glenn the Tech came out - 1st stated he wasn't allow to go up in the attic and I said how are you going to diagnose the issue? Walked up - stuck his head up and with his flash light said - bad news you need a new AC! Didnt even go near the machine! Made a call to his shop - $16k! Charged me $95.00. In and out in less than 15-minutes! Had another HVAC Texh come out - made the repair and said I didn't need a new AC Unit! Had another come out for reassurance and he said the same! My AC is running well. Very disappointed! I was a repeat customer- you lost my business! Do your due diligence! I don't recommend! What a shame! Shame on them! read more

I had a 9am appointment that was confirmed via email the prior day. The owner came to my door 20 minutes early I was told I was in the shower but I could be ready in five minutes. He was in such a hurry and he said he could not wait and we need to reschedule for he needed to be in Ocean City by 12 o'clock that day. I came to the door three minutes later in a towel and again he refused to wait three minutes for me to put on a pair of pants.His attitude was a full arrogance and it turned out he is the owner of the company. I would never do business with him I would wait for a plumbing company from Mars to show up before I would allow them to do work for me. FYI I am a real estate property manager and I've never seen such arrogance from anyone. read more

I have been using Farnen and Dermer since I bought my condo 15 years ago. They are always professional and show up within the time range. The technicians are pleasant and professional. Today I had the yearly maintenance and it was quick and easy. Always a pleasure to use them. Alan P read more

Charlie did a great job. I greatly appreciate his patience, honesty and straight forward approach. I was not happy with the repair cost. He took the time to explain why the repairs were needed. He is an excellent representative for his company. Can I hire him? read more

These guys are outstanding. They did our replacement HVAC installation many years ago and have done our semi-annual maintenance every year since then. They are thorough, professional and keep us informed every step of the way. Our tech this visit was Keon and he is a true credit to the team. read more

I've known Farnen & Dermer for many years. They've done work for numerous family members of mine, and I've heard nothing but rave reviews. Not only are they good at what they do, but they are a family-owned company, which makes dealing with them a bit more personal and warm. I highly recommend contacting them for your HVAC or Plumbing needs. When you call during business hours, it's likely you'll reach Zach, the youngest of the family members working at the company. He's so friendly and helpful--and most importantly--knowledgeable about his industry. Highly recommended! read more

Very friendly, professional and informative technicians. They installed a new humidifier, sealed some pipes and cleaned out some drains. I would use them again. read more

Farnen & Dermer came out the same day we called. We got a new AC unit and furnace at a fair price. No gimmicks the estimate was all inclusive. The installer explained everything. We're very happy with the quality and highly recommend Farnen & Dermer! read more

Farnen and Dermer is always responsive and knowledgeable. I have used them for over 7 years and highly recommend their services.

I wouldn't recommend this company. My dude with 20+ YOE came out today and quoted me $4000+ for parts (I'm assuming labor cost hasn't been factored in yet). Called another place and got it fixed for $150. Turned out the problem was none of the things he mentioned. I'm not mad that I just wasted $95, just upset and disappointed. read more

Great job ,the team of guys from Ed ,Zach,James and Mike they were very professional and the job was done in one day.

Farren and Dermer is an awesome company to do business with! They do quality work, they do it timely and with a smile...they appreciate my business. From the family to their employees always great people, very professional and always willing to help! I would reccomend them for any HVAC or Plumbing need you have. First rate company!!! read more

Uncle Sheldon's AC/ heat pump broke during a summer heat wave. we were told by several other companies that diagnosis and then replacement could be several weeks. This was unacceptable during 90 plus degrees weather. A considerable amount of time was spent on hold and then more in the transfer process. With Farnen and Derner we immediately spoke to one of the family members and were told someone would be out that day for evaluation and then replacement would be the next day. The installation was tricky and an extra team was sent so the job could be done in one day. we were very impressed with the work and explanation. It was a little more money than expected but the job was complicated . I would not hesitate to use them again and recommend them most highly. read more

We had them out to look at our furnace in our new home and the tech had to call his boss three times to get answers to our questions, as it was clear he lacked the education and knowledge in his field. Then, he proceeded to charge us 150 bucks just to give us an "overview" of the system we had. I emailed the business letting them know and no reply or response. read more

I would 100% NOT recommend this company for any heating or cooling needs. My heat went out this past Friday on one of the coldest days of the year. I scheduled an emergency Saturday appointment where I was told to replace my three-year-old furnace or at the very least order some new parts. The technician left my house leaving me without any heat. A second company came out and without replacing any parts or recommending a total system replacement was able to fix my problem leaving me with heat in my house. When I called to complain I was told that my furnace is cheap and would break again and the other company doesn't know what are doing. Customer service was awful. Long story short this company is a scam and only wanted to upsell me. I posted review on Facebook page only to have them remove my comments. Guess they don't want honest feedback. read more

Right before the weather started to change in November I called this company b/c my thermostat was not working. I spoke to someone there & explained my issue & was told someone would call me back for an appointment. 5 days later still no call back. I again called b/c it was really starting to feel cold & needed some heat at that point & they came out 1 or 2 days later. The technician Jason, fiddled around w/ the unit, looked inside. Went upstairs fiddled around w/ the thermostat & after about 10-15 minutes & a private conversation with who I assume to be his boss (stepped outside to call to "see what he could do") tells me all the wires, blower & something else needed to replaced & it would cost $10,0000!!!!! So I politely told him that was not feasible at this time in which he offered finance options - again I declined. After a few days I picked up a few space heaters until I could figure out my next move. After seeking out assistance from others, a gentleman walked me through a few steps over the phone & in about 30 minutes MY FAMILY HAD HEAT!!! Whether it was a coincidence (which I doubt) that my thermostat started to work or not, the fact remains is that the fix wasn't going to cost $10 damn thousand dollars. When I think about how the technician left my house & didn't think 2x about how his lie was going to negatively impact my family especially this time of the year truly angers me. Needless to say I would never use or recommend this company as they clearly can't be trusted. They saw a dire situation & felt it was a good idea to take advantage & then charge me $95 to come out & rip me off. Truly shameful & disgraceful to say the least. I refrained from writing this review for 22 days to give myself some time to write about the facts & less about the emotion of it all. I plan to do my due diligence in finding a reputable person or company to service my unit in the future as it is inevitable at some point in time it will need some level of servicing. I attached my service order as proof this is a real review Peace & blessings to everyone's future home repairs! read more

Farnen & Dermer - Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC Near Me - Owings Mills, Maryland

See all

This review is about issues and installations that happened quite a few years ago. Just getting around to it now because we're still having problems with the things purchased and installed. They replaced our central air unit when we first moved in. The compressor went after a few months. It was replaced under warranty and that one also went in a few months. Now we had to buy another full price A/C which we did. We used someone else and they told us (and we could see) that F & D used the wrong gauge wire to put in the first one. They also installed an Aprilaire central humidifier- they installed it in a completely inaccessible place. These things require a fair amount of maintenance and upkeep- you need access. There was a 7 foot horizontal return and they could have installed it there somewhere in the middle, but they installed it all the way at the end behind the water heater with the water heater supply pipe TOUCHING the plastic housing. You literally could not open or close it without trying to push a 1" pipe an inch and a half away from the unit. I'm wondering if the installer was on hallucinogenic drugs when he installed it. It's at the point now where it just won't go back together because of that pipe. So now I have to find someone and get it re-installed and pay twice for something F&D did. Then they sent me one of their plumbers who walked in the door with an astonishingly irritated attitude.(from his last customer?) He was nasty and unprofessional and when he gave me a quote I was shocked and he became abusive. I called F&D right then and they said too bad for me, they stand by their (abusive) employee. I had used them before in our last house and we were very satisfied. Would not use them now even for free. Again, I'm posting this now after spending 2 hours trying to put the cover back on the humidifier that they installed bass ackwards-it wouldn't go back together. Calling Frosty tomorrow. read more

CROOKED CROOKED CROOKED. I heard a radio ad from them for an 89 furnace check up, and figured it can't hurt, even though my system was running fairly well. Well they told me my heating system had a problem that would require a $3000 repair, or I could purchase a whole new system from them for $9000. When I told the technician I had a home warranty, he began stammering and told me I should ask the home warranty company to buy-out my policy so that I could then use the cash to pay them for the new system. Well I got a second opinion and it turned out NOTHING WAS WRONG. I then noticed on Yelp that there are a dozen or so hidden reviews below, not displayed as usual by Yelp with customers that had the same experience that I did. Even right down to the fake problem that was described, and one even echoed my experience where the technician didn't even put the panel to the furnace back on! Not a big deal, but very unprofessional. Stay away at all costs!!! What a waste of money!! read more

I purchased a new Trane HVAC system ($8000 total cost) for my home in May 2016. Farnen & Dermer, Inc., certified Trane Comfort Specialists, recommended a 2.5 ton, high efficiency air conditioning unit. By August the system was in failure. We had difficulty getting anyone from the company to return our calls post-installation. Calls went unreturned and appointments were missed. We had two techs out that failed to or misdiagnosed the problem. The office staff (one gentleman in particular) was rude to the point of belligerent. Finally, Yossi came to the house. After proper examination of our system, he discovered that the compressor was not operating correctly and needed to be replaced. He found a filter missing on unit from install which would lead to moisture mixing with the coolant and causing and acidic reaction that may have caused the compressor failure. We contacted Trane and opened a file to express our concerns over the poor service and product failure. Trane customer service department was very responsive. It is now not quite a year since we installed this system. The first two times we turned on the system it blew a fuse before start-up. We called and asked specifically for Yossi to come out. The day he came to the house it was pouring down rain. He got the system to turn on, but due to the rain he could not perform a complete diagnostic of the system. I scheduled a return visit and asked specifically for Yossi. We scheduled an appointment for after 1pm on April 11. At 1:45, when I had yet to hear from them, I called. The gentleman was extremely rude. He said that Yossi was busy and he's send someone else. I said that we only wanted Yossi to service our system and expressed concern over past problems - improper install and two other techs that missed or misdiagnosed our problem. The communication deteriorated from there until he went on to say that Yossi was not "one of his best." In fact, he'd "put him at the bottom." He also said that the compressor failure was not their fault, but a faulty product and that they've had various problems with Trane systems -and that I should "go online and read the reviews." Farnen & Dermer does not stand by their products or their personnel. We will be contacting Trane, again, and finding a dealer with professional and competent staff. read more

Had a very bad experience with these folks. Had a problem with my AC/heating system. They sent a person out who took a look around, and then explained to me that I needed to replace my entire AC system. I was very surprised, as it didn't seem like a big problem. So I got another opinion. Called another local HVAC crew, and they sent a person out, who explained that I just needed a part replaced. Sounded right to me. I told them of the other opinion I had gotten from F&D, and they told me it was incorrect, and that they had gotten the manufacturer info wrong. I was confused, but ended up going with the part replacement, since it seemed right. Well, the other company replaced the part, and the system has been working great. The bad part is that I called F&D back to explain what had happened, and instead of offering some decent explanation, they got all defensive and irritated on me. Huh? Plus, they never offered to refund their (incorrect) diagnostic fee. They would have charged me an arm and leg for something I didn't need. Beware. read more

Thank you to Zach, Charlie, Yossie, and Keon! Same day service, next day repair! Everyone is so nice and friendly and very professional! The work was great and I am a very happy and cool customer! I highly recommend Farnen and Dermer for your plumbing, heating, and AC needs! read more

The company responded quickly when our first floor unit was not working on the hottest days of the year. They promptly replaced it with a new system and came back to make sure that we were satisfied. Last year we replaced our upstairs unit and it has been working well. I recommend using this company. Their customer service has been amazing! read more

Disappointed in results of service and over priced fees. We were experiencing problems with our downstairs heating so we called F&D since we purchased that unit from them a few years ago. The F&D technician came by and informed us that we needed a new thermostat and recommended a good brand that F&D did not carry. Their quote for the install (over and above the cost of the thermostat itself and their $129 consult charge) was $275, bringing the total cost for everything to $654 ($129 consult, $250 thermostat and $275 install charge). We also had problems with the upstairs heating after the F&D technician left so we ended up having no heat for two nights. After repeatedly trying to reach F&D we reached out to Blue Dot. Bottom line - we heard back from Blue Dot on a Sunday within an hour. Blue Dot's charge to install the same unit (which they carry) but also understood that we already had was $59 only to find out from Blue Dot that the thermostat wasn't even the problem to begin with. Aside from unfortunately having a poor service experience) with F&D I can't see why the install charge for a thermostat should be $275. One positive note - F&D did agree to send us back the $129. read more

Came out immediately, I mean within 15 minutes! to help disconnect and reconnect a gas line to a new dryer. I would have been stuck without them. Martin R was pleasant, knew what he was doing and even ran out to get a correct part and returned to complete the job within an hour. This is my second experience with Farnen & Dermer and they have been fantastic. read more

My air condition was not a swell at I would like it. So I decided to get it fixed. Then they came. My bedroom went from a nice 79 degrees to a extremely hot 95. Screwed up everything. read more