Came out super fast to take a look at my HVAC. The upstairs AC was not working properly and it was getting hot upstairs. It's a house we just moved into so he showed us where the dampers were the previous owners didn't know about and got the unit working properly again. I highly recommend R A Dobson and I plan to work with them in the future. read more

Generally good work but wouldn't honor the terms of the contract. No thermostat was provided as was specified in the contract: R. A. Dobson, Inc.will install the appropriate thermostat, and train you on the smart thermostat's features (if applicable) read more

R A Dobson - contract language - Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

Excellent and on time service. Very professional crew that installed new heating and AC system. Kept me well informed of their progress and alerted me when they needed to shut off the water for 10 minutes. Work site was left in a very clean condition. read more

RA Dobson installed out space-pack A/C in 2009 - it has been trouble free since. About 5 years ago we decided to convert from oil to gas heat. We chose a lower cost contractor who left us with a messy installation and ghosted me often on service. I called Dobson for service and they diagnosed major problems left to us by said low cost guy. They totally re-installed my system, and up-graded my Navien boiler. Although the install took about 5 days longer than estimated, they honored their price despite my offer to consider adding to the cost of the contract. Josh was the installation tech and he was very thorough and professional. There have been several "tweaks" needed to the system and they came and addressed quickly and kept me informed at all times. All the techs who have serviced my a/c, heat, or my plumbing issues have been professional, knowledgeable and pleasant with which to work. read more

My mom's A/C decided to die amidst the last heatwave of the year. Being a good daughter, I made all the calls to find her someone able to do the job with quality and a fair price. R A Dobson was the man and company for the job. Their prices were better than anyone else's in town. He didn't try to upsell my mom (huge bonus when your mom is older and you see so many people taking advantage of the elderly). Service was relatively fast (Covid shortages) and super professional. It gives me pleasure to write a review about an honest professional. Highly recommend. read more

Our downstairs unit stopped working on one of the hottest days of the year. RA Dobson got us up and working in no time. Our technician was friendly and very knowledgeable. We wouldn't trust anyone else with our heating and air conditioning! read more

Returned from a week's vacation late this afternoon (after 5pm on a Sunday in late July) and our air conditioning had gone out while we were gone... hot house. Called and left a message for the "emergency" on call technician not expecting much. He called me back within 5 minutes, talked through my options, and was at my house by 6pm. Quickly diagnosed the problem (capacitor had gone out on the compressor), he had the part in his truck, and we were blowing cold air again by 6:30pm. "Emergency" call cost me $120 more than their normal service call... worth every penny. Highly recommend. read more

Adrian, the Dobson technician, just completed my Spring service. He took the time to explain what he was doing and to make useful suggestions. I have been a satisfied Dobson customer for 30 years. read more

14 years ago, R A Dobson replace my HVAC unit and I haven't had any issues with it until this week on Sunday. My AC was not cooling and I was getting on error on my thermostat. Called R A Dobson on Monday morning and they sent a Tech to my house that day. He check the system and told me the "Run capacitor" for the compressor was bad. He install a new one ($200 for the part) and the AC started cooling again. So with the cost of the services call, that was $325 altogether, which is fine. So on Wednesday night, my AC stop cooling again, so I called R A Dobson that night and they told me they would sent someone out the next day. The long and short of it is there is also a "Start capacitor" too, which was now bad, as well as a relay. The Tech call the shop and got the parts sent to my house. Install all the parts, got the system running and tested the whole thing, good to go. The Tech was at my house for over 2 hours, now I'm thinking, how much is all this going to be? The tech hands me the paperwork and says to me "No Charge". He tells me the first Tech should have seen that the parts were going bad and should have change them on Monday. These guys are the best, now that's customer service. I'm a customer for life. I really don't blame the first guy, but I will tell you that both of these guys really knew their stuff. I'm an electrical engineer and I was impressed, some of the hightech gear the second Tech had was very cool. Can't go wrong calling these guys if you have any issues with your HVAC system. read more

My water heater started to leak, and R A Dobson was able to dispatch a technician to me faster than other companies. Evan came over and confirmed I needed a new water heater. But he didn't stop there. He performed a diligent inspection of my plumbing and diagnosed that my pressure reducing valve has also failed and needed to be replaced (this has probably contributed to the water heater demise). He laid out several options, provided answers to all my questions, and explained pros and cons of various models. At no point I felt pressured or rushed, and their offer was very competitively priced. The installation crew did a very thorough job and left the place very clean. They explained and demonstrated everything that they have installed or upgraded. R A Dobson delivered great service and I will definitely do business with them again. read more

My AC was having intermittent problems lately, so I had to look for someone to help me fix it. Looking through Yelp, there were a handful of HVAC companies serving my area that had great reviews. I decided to give R A Dobson a try because they also do plumbing work. I reckon if they are as good as the other reviewers say, then I have a one-stop shop for all my HVAC and plumbing needs in future. I gave them a call in the morning and they asked me if I needed their technician to come by today. I told them my AC problem wasn't urgent but if someone could come today, that would be great. At about 12.30pm, I got a call from Josh saying that he would be at our home in 15 minutes. He showed up before 1pm and found the cause of the problem and fixed it within 10 minutes. But he spent over 30 minutes answering questions from me and my wife regarding our AC system and gave us tips on how to get the best use out of it. He was patient and very respectful throughout and did not give us the feeling that we were holding him back from going to another appointment. When he asked if we wanted to sign up for the yearly maintenance contract, we thought it was a no-brainer given how happy we were with his service and the affordable rate. And because we signed the maintenance contract, this trip was considered as the first service visit and we did not have to pay anything else other than the cost of the contract. Great! So, all the good feedback that I read from the other reviewers about this company are all true. I'm glad I went with R A Dobson read more

They did a good job fixing my A/C. They replaced the run motor capacitor for the fan. They charged me $187 for a $10 part. I know this is how these people make their money but holy smokes what an upcharge. Freaking hilarious and ridiculous. I'll probably do business with them again though since they do good work and seem honest (at least with their work if not their prices). Everybody is a crook in this business any other place would have charged me similar outrageously inflated price for a $10 part. read more

I recently had RA Dobson fix my AC. After 3 other companies we used could not fix the problem. Sim diagnosed the issue and Sam made the repairs. Both technicians were very professional and communicated exactly what needed ro be done. If you are looking for a company to do the right thing on the first try, I highly recommend RA Dobson and team. read more

Extremely helpful! Very knowledgeable. Really appreciate all the help and great customer service. Ask for Andy Barton when you visit. Will be contacting them again for A/C issues!!! read more

After 25 years, our builder installed furnace died. We called early in the morning and a technician was at our home exactly when we were told they would be. George, the service manager, was informative and professional with my husband over the phone & Josh, our technician, was professional & took the time to explain the different types of furnaces we could choose from. And our dog loved him! Our new furnaces was installed efficiently & in a timely manner. We have used RA Dobson for all of our HVAC needs & for a new hot water tank a few years ago. This company is professional, courteous, & trustworthy. They've earned our business! read more

We inherited a service contract with RA Dobson when we bought our house. It was easy enough to keep using them. However, over the last year, we've realized what luck that was. Our heat pump died at 7pm on the first day of the big storm in '16. RA Dobson called us back within 20mn and walked us through how to switch to emergency heat. Within hours of our street being paved, they had a tech out. When that tech misdiagnosed the problem, RA Dobson refunding the charge without issues and sent out their most experienced tech to try again. They worked with us on a Carrier recall bulletin to get the defective part replaced at a discounted rate. When the system had the exact same problem the next fall - a known defect for that model - RA Dobson again sent out their most senior tech, who was very thorough. Travis and George back in the office pushed the manufacturer to do right by us and we were extremely pleased with the result. Full credit goes to Travis and his dedication to doing the right thing. I admit, I didn't expect an HVAC repair company to care this much about one account, but I was wrong. We will be RA Dobson customers as long as we live in their service area, and will recommend without reservation. read more

We have a house with 3 systems. RA Dobson installed them in early 2000. We have remained on contract with them which means you have the systems examined and cleaned 2 a year. Fall & spring. This works very well for us. We have developed over time a good relationship with their staff and find the owner Travis very available to help when needed. We have tried a few companies over the years. We find Dobson on average the best service company we've had. This past weekend on a cold Sunday night we lost the use of 2 of our condensate pumps. Cool weather. Sunday night. Why not! We called their emergency #. Josh a very professional, hard working young man came to our rescue. Unfortunately the weather was terrible. Ice and snow on the roads. He had a fairly long way to travel to get to our home but he came. He did not have pumps on his truck nor did another co-worker he tried. We wound up using Home Depot product. Because it wasn't Dobson's warrantied product "Little Giant" Jose gave us a one year warranty on labor. We have a one year warranty through the company who make's the Depot brand of pump. Josh worked nonstop replacing both the pumps. We were so grateful to have our systems back on providing heat. Temps in the 20's can be very cold. I feel Dobson can always handle our needs with our HVAC. They have good staff who I feel comfortable dealing with. Sim too is quite the technician. He instinctively knows how to handle the problems that he faces. I like to watch what the techs are doing and ask for an explanation on what is wrong and how they plan to resolve the issue. Never, ever have I felt I was bothering the repairmen. If it makes sense to me I feel the solution will work. Yes, I am a fan. read more

About a year ago, R.A. Dobson handled our gas conversion process and replaced and modified our entire HVAC system and water heater. I admit that I am not the easiest person to work with because I am a perfectionist but, Travis Dobson was a joy to work with and figuratively held my hand throughout the entire process. It's a long and tedious process dealing with Washington Gas but he worked with them to have the line pulled to our house from the street and made sure to communicate with me about each step so that I was always aware of what was happening even when we were just waiting for our turn with the gas company. At the beginning of the project, he gave me a detailed timeline and made sure that all the steps happened on or before the estimated timeline. It has taken me a year to write this review because I wanted to make sure the system he recommended lived up to their promise. Let me tell you, I love my heating and AC! Prior to the new system, we had a heat pump and electric heater. I was always freezing in the winter and had to use another electric heater in the bedroom; in the summer, it never cooled below 75 and we were miserable. Last winter was one of the harshest winters I've ever experienced in the area. However, our heater worked beautifully. Even through all the snow storms and sub zero temperatures, we were very comfortable inside in shorts. Additionally, with the recommended whole home humidifier the air in the house was not dry at all and it was the first year that we did not get the occasional dry throat or nose bleeds. Last summer after installation and so far this summer, we have been very comfortable with the temperature at home. At times we have to use a blanket or wear pants because it gets so cold in the house... It's great! I actually had to turn the AC temperature UP today because the humidity control made it too cold! Also, we divided the house into two zones bases on their recommendation. And now we haven't had the AC on in the basement so far this summer and it's maintained at 70 and goes up to 72 when all the TV's are on... On top of all this, we are saving money on utility bills! Awesome!!! So, changing the system to two zones meant that the had to redo some of the ductwork. Let me tell you about the new ductwork... it looks so sexy that I wish I could have kept the basement ceiling open to show off the ducts. Yes, I said SEXY! I know that might seem a bit odd, but having to divide the duct into two separate ducts in a very tight space meant that they had to make them curve around each other and fit together... It's like a work of art! I recommend anyone who has a loft space or a commercial space that requires exposed ductwork to call R.A. Dobson and ask for Rick the specialist in sexy ductwork. The added uv light air cleaner also means that everyone in the house is allergy free during the worst allergy season in years. And the temperature panel that has a iPhone app means that we can save more energy while we aren't home and if we are coming home early, we can just turn the system on while we are on our way and we have a very comfortable home waiting for us. Did I also mention that they outbid all the other bigger named companies and we saved money on the install? AND they helped us get refunds from carrier that we weren't expecting? So, if you are in the market for HVAC work, call Travis at R.A. Dobson and ask for Rick for the sexy ductwork! read more

Reached out to R.A. Dobson and spoke to Travis with regard to our natural gas hot water tank that was 18 years old. Had a great, honest conversation with Travis about what to do. We decided to replace hot water tank. When tank arrived, the service department called, scheduled the install. Evan (the tech that installed new hot water tank) was on time, courteous, polite and didn't mind me asking him thousands of questions. I strongly recommend R.A Dobson!!!! read more

I can't say enough great things about this company. I felt like everyone I dealt with was knowledgable, helpful and customer service oriented. We had a new A/C unit installed and some plumbing work done. Adrian, Doug, and Victor were both courteous and professional during the installation. Travis Dobson took the time to come to our house and make recommendations based on the issues we were experiencing. He then followed up by having Sim (a senior tech) come out and also evaluate the issue. It's rare these days to find a company who honors their commitments and places the customer first. We will continue to use R. A. Dobson for our heating, A/C, and plumbing needs and would highly recommend them to anyone else in need of their services. read more

We have been with RA Dobson for over 20 years for one reason, their commitment to their clients. This past Sunday night our air conditioner stopped working, notified the 24hr service and by early Monday morning they had a technician out to my house. Sim, who had worked with us for many years ,identified the problem and explained to us in great detail what we needed to have done. He notified the parts department and the search began...a compressor was not available locally, but he did locate one in Richmond. Knowing how desperate we were facing the 4th of July weekend and 90 degree/humid weather and not wanting to depend on possible delivery delays he sent someone to Richmond to pick it up (4 1/2 hours on the road). He promised to call as soon as he had some news....my phone rang at 6:30 AM this morning with him telling me they would be out this morning to install. WOW. This company is very professional but more importantly the "personal touch" they give to their clients is why I am writing this review. A big shout out to Sim and Andy and Carlos read more

I can not recommend them enough. Great price to install new 75 gallon hot water heater and utility sink. The team sent for the install were amazing gentlemen and did a great job. I can highly recommend them! read more

Can't say enough good things about this company. Adrian answered our emergency call (for a plumbing issue) on a Sunday morning within 15 minutes. I was already impressed! He was very knowledgeable and helpful. The following morning, Travis Dobson called to assure me that the necessary work would be completed that day. Again, impressive. The plumber, Evan, arrived right on schedule, and was very professional, neat, informative, and friendly. He did a fantastic job with the installation, and explained in detail how the equipment worked, what to expect, and how to make any needed adjustments. He assured me they would always be available if I had any additional questions or concerns. The price seem right in line with what I'd expect, based on the research I did. Very fair. I feel I made a great decision in choosing this company. A+++ read more

I was a contract customer of Dobson for over 10 years. I dropped them this year, and will never deal with them again. Last fall, they did a routine check of my gas heating system. When I came home that evening, my whole house smelled of gas. I called Dobson to tell them that there was a gas leak from the equipment they had been working on that morning. Much to my surprise, they simply told me "try not to use too much gas" and they'd be there the next morning. Only after I threatened to call the gas company, did they come out that evening and repair the leak that they had pretty obviously caused. Later in the summer, during a sweltering heat wave, my air conditioning unit went out on a Saturday morning. They arrived that morning, and informed me that they had to replace the unit. However, their scheduling people don't work on the weekend, so they had no idea when they could come out and do the replacement. They said I needed to wait until Monday to call them and schedule an appointment, and that it could be as late as Thursday or Friday before they could come out and replace the air conditioner. As a loyal 10-year contract customer, I was charged $250 for this nearly-useless service call. Later on Saturday, at the recommendation of a neighbor, I called another company (Richards Heating and Air Conditioning) who immediately scheduled a replacement for first thing Monday morning, at a cost that was $500 less than Dobson had quoted. Given that it was a record-breaking heat wave, I was expecting Dobson to call me on Monday to make sure everything was okay, and I was prepared to share this feedback with them. But they never called, and apparently didn't care that one of their long-term contract customers was without air conditioning during a very hot summer weekend. However, since my service contract has expired, they have called and written several times to try to get me to renew my contract for another year. Apparently, their need for profit means more to them than my need for comfort. read more

R A Dobson installed a 75 Gallon Gas Water Heater for us. Their technicians were professional and used drop clothes and shoe covers. They did a great job and I would highly recommend them. read more

After reviewing a few bids, I chose R.A. Dobson to install my Carrier Infinity heat pump and had a great experience... but that was eight years ago. How would they do on a heat pump check-up today? I'm happy to say the answer is "great"! On the phone they clearly explained the scheduling process, and on appointment day I was given a time which they met. The technician Trevor was very polite and thorough, and didn't mind me asking questions. He pointed out an issue and gave me options to fix it. Afterward I wanted to take Advantage of Dominion Power's $90 rebate - and didn't realize the company had to complete part of the form. So I dropped it off at their office and without my asking they called me to let me know they had put it in the mail! Because of this they continue to earn my trust. I certify that I am not an employee, or relative or friend of an R.A. Dobson employee, nor was asked or given any incentive to give a positive review. read more

Travis Dobson and his team at R A Dobson have been nothing but professional for the past 2 years that I have interacted with them and used their services in Virginia. I work in the real estate industry and rely on my "contractors" to keep my clients happy, both from a listing and selling representation standpoint. R A Dobson is not only courteous and responsive when I contact them to perform a service, they also go above and beyond to troubleshoot whatever HVAC conundrum appears in front of us. I've had a few HVAC experiences from a layman's perspective that could have been VERY costly. I look at HVAC the same way that I look at auto mechanics. There is a lot of functionality within expensive equipment where the consumer can be taken advantage of. I've had negative experiences with other HVAC companies for this exact reason, mostly coming through "home warranty" programs. When I was introduced to RA Dobson through a neighborhood town hall that was replacing archaic propane units with gas from the street for the local residents, I was very comfortable that I had found my long-term solution to any HVAC issues. Why was that? The R A Dobson folks have made it clear that my long-term business is more important than squeezing as many dollars out of me for a single job. Oftentimes, my career choice puts me in the line of fire to pay for repairs as a favor in my clients' homes so I really appreciate the consideration that I get from such a reputable bunch of folks. Travis and Terry are especially knowledgeable (ask for them by name if you have an especially large project to discuss) but I've been impressed that their support staff (George, Andy, Kris, etc) all whom have a strong acumen for the business and can diagnose and clearly explain the root causes of any HVAC work order. They will order parts from out of state when not in stock locally and follow up with you over email and phone to clearly explain the job scope and receive authorization for the cost to perform the work. I really appreciate understanding what I am paying for in advance! I don't Yelp many reviews outside of restaurant experiences, but these guys are worth applauding. I have a large project on the horizon that requires full-scale HVAC design and creative ductwork up to building code for a residential detached home. The only contractor I have locked in is HVAC w/ R A Dobson while I bid out the other portions of the job. It should tell you something about a company when the primary business owner chooses the HVAC subcontractor without bothering with getting additional proposals. Some may call this careless, but I know it would be a waste of energy to have anybody try and compete with R A Dobson for the job. I've already given other HVAC companies an opportunity in the past. Now that I've found my HVAC partner that understands customer service and caters to my needs, I am sticking with them. My advice would be to give R A Dobson a call for your Virginia heating and cooling needs, you won't be disappointed. read more

I just had my 22 year old hot water heater, AC unit and furnace replace unexpectedly this week and I am thrilled with their quality work, professionalism of their employees, and rapid response and repair times. We live in a townhouse with 6 people and 3 cats, and these guys were amazing. They were neat, professional, punctual, and offered a ton of helpful suggestions on how best to do the job and keep the new equipment we have working well for years to come. Over the years, I have had many workmen come through, but none have been as neat, friendly, helpful, and meticulous as these guys were. I highly recommend them, and their employees are top notch. Thanks so much for all the help and hard work, Travis, Wayne and Trevor! read more

We have been customers of R. A. Dobson for many years and have always received prompt and excellent service. The staff are very knowledgeable, professional, and well trained in the systems they install. We recently had them replace our 16 year old system, both the furnace and the heat pump. Adrian, Jason, and Ron came early and stayed late for both days of the installation while solving several serious problems. They made sure we understood the new "smart" thermostat and that all our questions were answered. We highly recommend this company! read more

This is a family owned and operated business. They care about the service. We've used them to replace our builder installed units and have had nothing but a great experience. They have installers that have been with them for many years and are professional, courteous, and efficient. They come to your house, follow your parameters, work within them, do the job, clean up after themselves, and follow up with you to make sure you're satisfied. They are price competitive, offer rebates from manufacturers, and have financing. read more

I have used R A Dobson twice now, and both times I was very satisfied with the work. This last instance, I was especially happy with the results. The technician, Sim, was clearly focused on not only fixing the problem with my AC, but also with educating and communicating with me as a customer. He pointed out flaws or inefficiencies with the original HVAC design of my house and helped me come up with little fixes here and there that I could do on my own. Between his topping off and professionally balancing my system and the little fixes here and there I was able to make, my system is working the best it has since I bought my house back in 2002. The best part was that, for once, I felt that my money was well spent AND that I had learned something in the process. I would highly recommend this company for residential HVAC needs. read more

I found these guys almost by accident. Had them out twice for small things. One of my furnaces was getting ready to die. I called at 9:30 Monday morning , Travis the owner was at my house around 10:30, I had a new furnace by the end of the day on Wednesday. The techs were nice guys but more importantly they were pros. They did a great job, even fixing an issue with the other furnace that my old hvac guys couldn't seem to fix. They were also considerably less then my old guys. Great company all the way around. Won't use anybody else now. read more

RA Dobson installed the original heating system in our home over 40 years ago and maintained the service contract. When we bought the house over 24 years ago we kept the contract going and have been extremely satisfied with the personal level of service we have received over the years. Just today they installed the 3rd furnace and air conditioner systems ever to be in the house. The entire process was handled so nicely from the service call to determine something was wrong, through the proposal when no extras were pushed on us, through the 2 day installation by several lovely men who worked hard all day, were respectful, and seemed genuinely happy with their jobs. Dobson also has a plumbing service and expertly installed a new hot water system for us last year. I have every confidence recommending RA Dobson and feel fortunate to be a long term customer. We will continue to subscribe to a yearly service plan and know that if we ever have a problem RADobson will help us as quickly as they can. Thank you again to Travis Dobson, George, Rick, Adrian, Carlos, and Israel for all of your hard work and help. It was a pleasure! read more

Great customer service, staff and the owner. Sim is their superb technician who will always go out of his way to fix things. He is just amazing and so helpful. I have been using RA Dobson for many years and cannot say enough great things about them. I definitely recommend them. read more

Eduwin just finished installing our whole home humidifier, he was very nice, professional, and efficient. Can't say enough good things about his work and this company. We called them earlier this week to just inquire about having a humidifier installed and Travis was very pleasant, knowledgeable, and straight-forward about everything -- his customer service and candor sold us on this company. Called again yesterday to schedule the install and they sent Eduwin over today. It's refreshing to find a company who we feel is not trying to just make a buck on us, they really make you feel that they're in it with a goal of making a lifelong customer. read more

Rey Browner is the best plumber/tech there is. Not only is he knowledgeable, but his personality is just very pleasant.

Many many thanks to Andy for helping locate a part required to get our heat back on during these historic cold temperatures in our area. Wonderful customer service and efficiency! read more

When our AC unit recently went out a friend recommended RA Dobson and I'm so glad I called them. They were able to dispatch a technician to my house that afternoon and a new unit was installed within a week. Their technicians were professional and did a great job cleaning up before they left. I would highly recommend calling them if you need quick and reasonably priced HVAC service. read more

Not a single good thing to say about these guys - poor knowledge, constantly up selling, overcharging, and using scare tactics. Couldn't find the issue (after my dad, a retired field technician, had already figured it out and told them), claimed he needed to reinstall our thermostat for an additional $135 (no rewiring, just reinstalling), quoted us 50% over the cost of a replacement furnace that we got from another technician, and after the furnace cut out 48 hours after the first visit, then quoted 3 times the cost of a replacement part that they found was the issue (what my dad originally found himself) also claiming we now had a gas leak and needed to install a kit instead. read more

I have been using these technicians for over ten years. Just yesterday I received my regular service from one of their newer technicians who has been with them just over two years. Madison was professional and personable in his approach, explaining what services he performed during this checkup and what he found, to include pictures of the hidden upstairs unit. I felt very comfortable with him in my home, that I was fully receiving the service i paid for, and very much appreciated the conversation from this armed services veteran. This outfit is reasonable and honest in their business approach while they strive to address your needs. Stuff happens but they make it right. Something to value these days. read more