King was classy from the get-go. He was quick to respond to my inquiry and called to confirm on…read morethe morning of our appointment. King arrived with Robert and Nathan in support. All were personable and knowledgeable. They tested and inspected our multi-zone system, educating me as they went. They gave an encouraging estimate to install AC into an outbuilding. They fixed the zone that was not cooling with a capacitor, all at a very fair price.

Customer Experience - Kingz Cooling & Heating Solutions LLC…read more My mother contacted her home warranty company after discovering water leaking onto the floor from the mechanical/HVAC closet. She called me and asked what I thought could be causing it. Based on my experience, my first thought was a clogged condensate drain or a failed condensate pump. The home warranty company dispatched Kingz Cooling & Heating Solutions LLC. During the first visit, the technician diagnosed the condensate pump as not working. I was on the phone with my mother during part of the visit, and the technician explained that it was a minor repair and that he would contact the warranty company for authorization and return with the replacement pump. Before leaving, he indicated that the HVAC system itself was operating. Because the condensate pump was not working, he asked my mother if she had a bucket that could temporarily catch the condensation until he returned. My mother instead asked him to turn the system off until the repair could be completed. The following day, the technician returned and replaced the condensate pump. After making that repair, however, he told my mother that there was now another problem involving the outside condenser/compressor. Naturally, my mother became concerned and immediately called me. At that point, I began asking the technician some basic diagnostic questions. I asked whether he had checked the contactor and verified that it was engaging. I also asked whether he had tested the capacitor and confirmed its readings. His response was that the system needed a hard-start kit. That raised concerns for me. I have worked in the plumbing/HVAC trades since 1996 and have owned a professional plumbing, HVAC, and electrical company in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2001. I understand HVAC diagnostics and the proper process for determining why a condenser or compressor isn't operating. I did not interfere with the technician while he was performing his original service call. However, once an additional repair was being recommended immediately after work had been performed on the condensate pump, I wanted to make sure my mother was receiving an accurate diagnosis. My mother is elderly and blind, which makes it especially important to me that contractors clearly explain what is actually wrong and recommend only repairs that are necessary. The Kingz technician stated that he would return the following day with a hard-start kit. I did not feel comfortable authorizing additional work without an independent diagnosis. I therefore told my mother to contact another HVAC company that our family had used previously. I agreed to pay for the service myself because I wanted an unbiased second opinion. The second technician arrived and reportedly identified several issues with how the condensate-pump work had been performed. More importantly, within approximately 30-45 minutes, the HVAC system was operating and cooling again without installing a hard-start kit. I asked the second technician to thoroughly test the system and clean the outdoor condenser while he was there. After approximately 1 1/2 hours of inspection, testing and service, he called me with his findings: * The system was operating and cooling properly. * The original capacitor was functioning. * The compressor was operating properly. * No oil or residue indicating an obvious compressor/refrigerant problem was observed. * A hard-start kit was not required to restore operation. Based on that second opinion and the fact that the system was operating normally, I instructed my mother to cancel Kingz Cooling & Heating Solutions LLC's return visit. My concern isn't that a technician can never make a mistake. Everyone in the trades can make mistakes. My concern is recommending an additional component or repair without completing enough diagnostic testing to demonstrate that the repair is actually necessary. When you're servicing an elderly homeowner--especially someone who is blind--the customer is placing an enormous amount of trust in the technician standing inside their home. My advice based on this experience is simple: Get a second opinion before approving major or questionable HVAC repairs. In this situation, doing so saved my mother from authorizing additional work that ultimately was not needed to get her air-conditioning system operating properly. There are experienced and honest service companies available. Sometimes getting that second opinion is worth the inconvenience.