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

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TL;DR, Shai is a great guy all around and went above and beyond to replace our AC with a new system that is quiet and more efficient. By far the best and most honest out of the four bids we received. Words really cannot express how WONDERFUL Shai and his team are at Highland Air. We found Shai through a family friend's recommendation - he installed a mini split system for them and they absolutely raved about how excellent his work was. We bought our townhome last year and didn't realize the AC unit that came with the home was 18 years old. It leaked last year so we called another AC company to fix it, they became our regular servicer. All was well until they came to service and falsely told me that the motors were failing. Quoted me 2,000+ to fix it or 13,000+ to replace it. I was skeptical so I called two other vendors, who said the same thing and also quoted outrageous pricing (one even suggested tearing into the wall to add another unnecessary duct) for replacing the unit. Shai was the only one who did NOT immediately tell us to replace the entire system. He actually said the unit was working fine and could continue to work for a long time but if we really wanted to replace it there are more efficient models that can save us money on our energy bills. He was honest with us from the start, and even came all the way from Thousand Oaks to us (20+ miles) to give an estimate. Rather than wait around for our system to break, we decided independently that we wanted a newer more efficient system. Shai's pricing was lower than the other AC companies and had a much higher SEER rating. Plus, Shai is a super nice guy and we felt comfortable with him in our home. He always answered promptly and was extremely thorough in his communications. Shai and Fernando came right on time for the install. They were extremely careful not to make any mess or bump into anything in our home. They worked efficiently and replaced the unit in our attic in just a few hours. They also set up a new ecobee smart thermostat for us. They were courteous and mindful about wearing shoe covers in the house as well. They finished the install and tested the system early afternoon. I was never worried about them doing a bad job, and they kept us appraised of the process the whole time. I have no idea how they got the air handler out of the attic but it was a very quiet process. Overall, we are very pleased with the work and super happy to have a new, efficient AC before the heat hits us in the valley. We will definitely be recommending Shai to all of our friends in the area due to his kindness and great workmanship. read more

Highland Air - Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC Near Me - Oak Park, California

Great service, very fair charges. Shai is very professional and thorough. He quickly fixed our problem and was a pleasure to work with.

We first called Shai about a broken down A/C in the hottest part of the summer. Shai was able to squeeze us in to evaluate and fix our unit after his already long day. He had the part, installed it, tested and we were back up and running. No upcharge, no sales pitch - just an honest business, and reliable work. When we looked to buy a new house, I did not trust anyone else to inspect the HVAC system it during escrow. His response time are incredible, and like so many others have said, his honesty and work ethic are hard to beat. read more

I cannot express in words how trusting and reliable Highland Air is. My AC unit stopped blowing cool air. It was just blowing room temperature air. The last time this happened, I had to pay a ton to get the compressor replaced by another company. That company took advantage of the fact that it was 98 degrees and charged me $3,800 to replace it, knowing that my choices were limited. Shai knew the urgency and to my surprise, he found that it was the capacitor and not the compressor this time. The pricing was more than reasonable, and he was the first to get here out of the many companies that I called. Anyone who has had any work done on their home knows how important it is to trust the companies that you do business with. Shai was able to replace the capacitor within minutes and fix the issue. I will obviously now be a life-long customer. read more

Shai was extremely knowledgeable, a great communicator of the issues, and an honest tech for all HVAC needs. We were lucky to find Shai through our home warranty. Now they weren't the best but he sure was. He even came on a Saturday. If you need an honest and on time HVAC assessment call Shai. read more

We highly recommend Shai for your HVAC needs! He was sent to us through our TERRIBLE home warranty company. He was extremely communicative via text, which is so convenient, right on time, very polite, and cleaned up everything perfectly. After being very thorough and spending so long on our job, the warranty company only gave him one solution to our HVAC problem, which was to add a few pounds of refrigerant to our unit; unfortunately, he didn't have any of the R-22 (since it's no longer legal to manufacture it or import it in the US, it's quite hard to get), so rather than HWA paying more money to have Shai totally recharge our unit with a different refrigerant that would work just as well, they cancelled the job for him and are trying to farm it out to someone else. He even felt bad that he couldn't fully fix our problem (not that it's his fault). While we still need to have someone else come out because of the terrible cheap and bureaucratic HWA, I would definitely call Shai once we are no longer using this warranty company. He's a great diagnostician and 100% honest. Thanks, Shai for your time and help! read more

Shai is very honest. I had him come fix my furnace and replace a control board. Not only was he able to fix it timely, he mentioned the part may still be under warranty since my furnace was less than 5 years old. He filed a warranty claim on my behalf and 3 weeks later sent me a refund for the part. It is refreshing to see such integrity. I would highly recommend Shai for HVAC services and consult. read more

As always Shai is the best! Air conditioning not working, Shai came out same day I called, ended up just needing a little tweaking, no charge! Stands behind his work! Such a pleasure working with him! read more

Shai was very responsive to taking care of my Ac unit . He reworked his schedule to get the work done before we left town . He was very reasonably priced did more work than I expected . He was very communicative and delivered on everything he said he would . I will definitely use him again . read more

Great company! Contacted them for recommended maintenance that a home warranty company said I needed when they came out for an issue I had with my AC. The owner came quickly, were very professional, found something wrong with our unit that would have literally broken it at the beginning of summer , and charged a super fair amount for a thorough visit (which I think a third as much as the other company quoted me). He seemed very trustworthy. Will definitely use them again!! Highly recommend. read more

Shai was very honest and dependable. We are happy we have found his company and can highly recommend to anyone looking for a HVAC company.

Called Highland Air with a heating issue, and they were here at 7:30am the next morning. My furnace is over 20 years old, and most companies will NOT even look at systems that old, let alone do any repairs. Everyone wants to sell you a new one for $15,000-$40,000. Sorry! I'd rather freeze in my 60 degree house, and travel the world with that kinda money! Shai found the issue within minutes, minimal cost, and my dog & I will be travelling to Costa Rica next week. ;) I am truly grateful, after searching long and hard for a company who really keeps your best interests in mind. Explains everything in detail, and doesn't try to sell you on something you don't really need. You will not be disappointed. read more

I contacted Shai when I was looking to install my nest thermostat. I can't say enough how grateful I am for him. He's quick to respond, easy to understand, reliable and fair. Most of all I trust him and I trust his work. I'm grateful to know him for any of my HVAC needs. He's definitely my go to guy! read more

Shai was very responsive, progressional and knowledgeable. He was able to fix the issue quickly

My parents said their heater was not working so I called Shai and he was able to come out same day. He was so professional, knowledgeable, kind and very, very patient. We highly recommend Shai and Highland Air for your HVAC needs! read more

Excellent experience. This company was sent to me from AHW (warranty company). I had an issue with some rooms in the second floor who barely got any air flow. Shai came to examine the attic and found some intersections that were blocking the air flow. He contacted the warranty company who approved the job. We scheduled for early morning, Shai arrived on time did the job in 2 hours, cleaned up after him (including some old ac duct that I had there before). They submitted the invoice back to AHW and take care of that as well. Thanks for an awesome job! read more