We hired Highland Air in 2023 to install a new HVAC system during a home remodel, and unfortunately, we cannot recommend them. Less than two years after paying over $10,000 for a "brand-new" system--and after ongoing issues from the start--we had to replace the entire unit for another $6,500.
Highland Air's owner, Shai Zimon, consistently did poor quality work, was unable to diagnose/fix problems thoroughly, and avoided true accountability for problems that his poor workmanship created. From the day of installation, we noticed problems: the outdoor condenser was so unstable it wobbled when touched--concerning since we have small kids playing nearby. When we asked him to fix it, he said he didn't have the tools or staff to re-level it.
The wiring between the indoor and outdoor components was messy and insecure--another HVAC technician later called it "unbearable." That shoddy work likely caused early communication failures between the thermostat and system, causing the condenser to run perpetually but without actually cooling the house. A layer of ice began to form on the condenser as it worked overtime but without impact. We had to shut it off to prevent it from breaking. Mr. Zimon's fix was to tell us to "flip the breakers" whenever the system stopped responding--something we ended up having to do repeatedly moving forward to keep our system running because it would inexplicably shut off at least twice a week.
During the intense heat of this past September, our HVAC system finally failed completely. Mr. Simon came to assess the situation (at no cost, I will say). He determined that the outdoor unit likely a freon leak but couldn't find or repair it. His solution was to offer to refill the freon for $800, though he said the freon would likely leak out quickly and we'd be right back where we started. We declined because we didn't want to dump money into a broken unit and temporary solution. When we talked with him about getting help from the manufacturer or distributor by calling their tech or pursuing the warranty for the unit, he said dismissively, "good luck with that". He left that day with no proposal for how we should proceed, with the unit open, and parts scattered on the ground. He told us that his one-year labor warranty on our project had expired and so was under no obligation to fix these issues unless we were to pay him. At this point, we felt sure that even if were inclined to pay him to continue to pursue repairs, he wouldn't be able to actually fix the problem. We were very frustrated with his lack of accountability and dismissive attitude toward the problems stemming from his own work. With an intense, sustained heatwave underway and three young children struggling to sleep through the toasty nights we were having, it was at this point that we decided we had to hire a different HVAC professional to fix the situation.
This alternative HVAC professional quickly found the real issue--a cracked copper coil deep inside the condenser. The location of the coil made the entire Gree Flexx unit unrepairable. Further, this particular unit is no longer being manufactured. So, the only real way to exercise the unit's warranty protection was to request a refund for option was to request a refund for the original cost of the outdoor unit. We had to rely on Mr. Zimon to submit a warranty claim, since only the original contractor could do so. Mr Zimon only followed up if we prodded him or made it easy by providing language from the other HVAC professional on the details of the problem that he could pass along. When the supplier ultimately declined our request for a refund, saying that they were only obliged to send us the useless replacement part, Mr. Zimon told us he was done dealing with our situation.
In the end, we were left with a broken, discontinued HVAC system and a $16,000 loss. We're sharing our experience so others can avoid the same stress, expense, and frustration.
(A note on the other HVAC professional that we brought on. Unlike Mr. Zimon, this technician was able to quickly diagnose and fix our HVAC system's problems. He went above and beyond to help us during this process. He spent hours calling suppliers, refilled our freon for free to get us through a heat wave, and treated us with genuine care. The video I'm including is the other HVAC pro explaining the source of the freon leak (which he found) so that I could send the video to Shai, who could then give it to the manufacturer to submit a warranty claim. Crazy! At his request, we are not mentioning the name of his company because he is concerned about getting embroiled in a negative situation. It's important to mention his role though, because it shows the stark contrast between the capability and integrity of the two men.) read more