I called Service Champions because one of the two air conditioner units in my Danville home wasn't putting out cool air. My wife had used SC to install a furnace at her mother's home in Orinda and both she and her mother were extremely pleased with SC's performance, including removing a 60 year old system and asbestos material and then installing a new highly efficient forced air system, including providing ducts and vents where none had existed. If you knew my wife and mother-in-law you would know that they are not easy to please. Anyway, SC had an ad for a discounted inspection so I called and got an appointment the next day. The technician was Nick B., a very personable and articulate guy. He thoroughly examined both of my air conditioning units, including the outside compressors and the inside furnace units, one of which was in the extremely dusty subfloor under my wife's closet. He showed me his instruments and explained the measurements showing that one of the compressors (the one that wasn't working prior to his repairs) was operating at only 75% efficiency and that the heat exchanger unit on a furnace unit showed signs of fatigue. He took pictures with his cell phone of the furnace in the subfloor area to show me what he was talking about. Most importantly, he found that a faulty capacitor was not working on the compressor that serviced the part of the house with no cool air and replaced it so that that area of the house is now cooling when the A/C is on. He explained SC's maintenance plan which costs $12/month. I wasn't inclined to sign up without my wife's consultation, but because of the 20 percent discount the plan provided for repairs, I saved the cost of the maintenance program for a year because of the discount on the two inspection charges and the capacitor repair. Nick was at work for at least 4 hours and left no trace of his work, even in my wife's closet area where he had had to emerge from the dusty subfloor. As it turns out, the maintenance program also entitled me to get a free air flow analysis of the ductwork in my home which would have cost another $180 or so and I scheduled that for the next day. Brian Kirby (another engaging and articulate personality) came to my house right on time (as had Nick) and spent another 4 hours reexamining some of the same areas that Nick had looked at, taping up vents (3500+ sq ft house) and forcing air into the system to find out, unfortunately, that on system was losing 24% of air flow beneath the house and the other was losing 31%. He showed me his instruments and explained how the air flow loss was calculated. He also pointed out that there seemed to be substantial restrictions on airflow in both systems (by reference to measurements showing pressure in vs. pressure out of the units), which he felt could be contributing to the fatigue in the heat exchanger units that he and Nick had seen. He suggested that the ductwork had been undersized as one possible cause and recommended that we keep an eye on the situation to make sure the heat exchangers did not fail and cause a safety issue. Like Nick, Brian left my home without a trace of dust or other indication he had been there. I would have felt I got my money's worth if all that SC had accomplished was to find the bad capacitor and get my A/C working again. I think the 8 hours of general inspection work and careful documentation of findings was a real bargain. I would recommend Nick, Brian and SC to anyone who needs maintenance of his or her HVAC system. Based on my mother-in-law's experience, I would be inclined to recommend the company for installation and repair work as well and will certainly put the company at the top of my list if we decide to address the problem areas that Nick and Brian found and documented for us. It was truly a pleasure and a very interesting and informative experience to interact with two such professional, customer-focused and well-trained technicians as Nick and Brian, who obviously enjoyed their work and took pride in their employer. read more

Service Champions is the best! To be specific, Jay Rivera, Michael Holmberg, William Morton, Benny Nguyen, Nathaniel Lapidez, & Nam Nguyen are the most respectful and polite gentlemen we have ever met. It takes a hell of a lot to impress us in regards to customer service, and these gentlemen take the award! They will respect your home. They talk to you as if you were talking to your friend, and you never feel like you are being hassled by a "Salesman." Our A/C broke after 29 years! Michael came out and gave us the estimate for the part replacement but did warn us that the system is going to get fixed, and he located a part BUT to please beware that the additional parts "Around this fix" will be going out. It could be 1 year, or it could be 3 years? Just prepare that this is a "Band-Aid" fix, and eventually, you will have to replace the unit. Michael was honest and upfront and was not telling us anything we really didn't already know. When the condenser fan goes, the condenser will usually follow 1-2 years later. We ordered the part but also made an appt to have an estimate for a new system the next day. After the appt with Jay Rivera, we decided not to spend $1004 on a replacement part and ordered a new A/C and Furnace. Both systems were 29 years old and obviously had seen better days. Jay was also honest, upfront, and very knowledgeable, and never once made the typical sales approach by upselling everything we did not need. He told us what we needed due to the size of our home and got us back up and running. Jay came out on Labor Day weekend, and we had a new system going in on Tuesday! Talk about quick! Most companies pull the "We can have parts in a week routine." (In addition--we have noticed problems with 2 of our upstairs bedrooms for a couple of years and had it looked at (Not by Service Champions) and "Nothing is wrong." Out of curiosity, while Jay was present and giving us an estimate, we had him look at the ductwork and explained the problem of low air quality. Within minutes he showed us on camera why the air was low pressure. We replaced 3 ducts, and now the air in these 2 rooms is the way it should be! Talking about a purchase as large as this can be overwhelming. Jay made us feel comfortable and not pressured by any means. We literally felt like we were hanging out with a friend we had known for years. It was funny how much in common our family has with his family. The communication level is outstanding. Jay himself called us the day after installation and a week later just to confirm we are happy and all is good. We are very impressed by the customer satisfaction. Knowing we have a new system and we also have Service Champions coming out to maintain our system gives peace of mind. This is never an easy fix...rather, you have replacement parts or a full replacement Service Champions can get the job done and correctly! You also do not have to worry about "WHO" is coming to your home. We felt very comfortable having any one of them in our home. Much respect and thanks to all the gentlemen listed above and the great company Service Champions is. We are very impressed. Equipment is also state of the art, efficient and quiet. Give them a call-you will not be disappointed. Edward & Janey Fernandez Antioch, CA read more

ONE WEEK AND THREE VISITS LATER AND THE AIR CONDITIONER IS STILL NOT FIXED!! Does that sound like "CHAMPION" level "SERVICE" to you? The first clue with everything that is wrong with this company is the name: SERVICE CHAMPIONS. They have to tell you how great their service is, because there is NO chance you are EVER going to experience it otherwise. For the sake of your own sanity and blood pressure, DO NOT CALL SERVICE CHAMPIONS! YOU WILL REGRET IT. HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE SERVICE!! Where to begin with everything that has gone wrong with this terrible company? VISIT #1: First of all they never showed up to the first appointment we made. We got a window from 2 to 5. We missed a day of work and waited until 7pm and no one showed up, finally we had to leave. When we returned, there was a card on the door: "Sorry we missed you!" HUH?? YOU WERE OVER 2 HOURS LATE! Don't be sorry, be on time. VISIT #2: We called to reschedule, had to miss ANOTHER day of work only to have the tech show up saying there was nothing he could do because he couldn't reach the air conditioning unit on the roof. They actually INSTALLED this unit, now they can't reach it? Give me a break. The cable guy from Time Warner had NO trouble at all getting to the roof. VISIT #3: We call yet again to have the service visit rescheduled, they were supposed to come from 8 to 10am on Saturday. We were up at 7am waiting. They call at 9am and left a voicemail saying I need to call back ASAP or they will send the tech somewhere else. Luckily I went to check my phone at 9:15 and I picked up their voicemail. Even though I called back only 15 minutes later, it wasn't fast enough for their delicate sensibilities, and to punish me for missing the initial call, I now get to wait until whenever they feel like showing up. (Note: I had ALREADY confirmed with them the night before that they were going to come the next morning. That's just not enough for these folks ... answer their calls OR ELSE.) Of course the tech who FINALLY showed up 4 HOURS LATE also could not access the roof. Unbelievable!! An entire Saturday wasted away waiting for Service Champions to show up and tell me how they CAN'T HELP ME AGAIN!!!!!!! What a colossal waste of time and energy it is to deal with these clowns. On top of everything else ... the women who answer their phones and call to confirm appointments are extremely rude and need to learn what the term CUSTOMER SERVICE means. Or maybe just learning some basic manners would help? When I complained to this one feeble-minded simpleton about how horrible their service was after missing 2 days of work for nothing and that they were 3 hours late past the "window" of "service" for visit #3, as beads of sweat are pouring down my forehead because its 100 degrees inside, she proceeds to ARGUE with me about how it was actually "great" service. No apology, just insult after injury. I have to deal with clients in my job too. If they are angry I don't argue with them and tell them how wrong they are about what they've experienced. I try to be understanding, and do whatever I can to make them happy. Its called empathy. There is nothing client-centered about this company. If they were client-centered, people wouldn't be treated like this. read more

BAD EXPERIENCE WITH SERVICE CHAMPIONS. This is our family's experience, and we can't speak for anyone else. Used them for 3 years or more for bi-annual maintenance on furnace and air conditioning units. Thought they were professional and honest based on their company's mission statement. Each of the technicians who came to our house were professional and polite, but they always attempted to sell us something more, whether it was re-routing the ducts up in the attic, upgrading our membership, or trying to convince us that our furnace and air conditioning needed to be replaced. (We are the original owners of a new home). We politely declined whatever they were proposing. During their last bi-annual appointment to service our furnace, they committed what we thought was an act that went against everything they allegedly stand for in their company. The tech told us he found a significant hole/crack in the furnace's heat exchanger. He said it was very hazardous. The tech took pictures and showed them to us. To 'confirm' to us that it was a hole/crack, he scheduled a senior technician to come out. The 'senior technician,' not surprisingly, confirmed the first tech's finding. The senior tech went on to try to scare us, saying our furnace unit was indeed hazardous. He claimed PG&E would 'red tag' it if they found out, but he would 'do us a favor' and wouldn't tag it. He advised us not to use it in the meantime because it could spark and cause fire. Meanwhile, this senior tech told us he would send out a 3rd, even more experienced, person/tech who would give us another confirmation of the hole/crack, and also "provide us some options." The 3rd person/tech came and again, of course, confirmed the 2 previous tech's findings. He advised us that our furnace had to be replaced. Service Champions coincidentally had a promotion which was about to expire within a few days, but he offered to extend the deal to us because we've been loyal customers. This promotional "deal" to replace our furnace and air conditioner units was close to $20,000.00, but if we signed up with them that day, (Act now! This promotion won't last long! Operators are standing by!) he would knock off a $1000 dollars. We thanked him, and told him we needed to get other quotes. He heavily-pressured us to sign a replacement contract that day. We became suspicious, due to the way the entire affair was handled. Keep in mind, none of our neighbors in our development, with homes the same age as ours, (approx. 13 years), have replaced their furnaces or air conditioners. We subsequently contracted a VERY reputable HVAC contractor who came highly recommended from a reliable source. He examined our system, and came out of our attic laughing. The truth was we NEVER had a hole/crack in our furnace. What was being shown to us as a hole/crack was a manufacturing seam. Our system was, and is, in perfect working order. (If our system really was as bad as Service Champions claimed, why wouldn't they have 'red tagged' it?) That hole/crack that was shown to us by Service Champions is a normal manufacturing feature. We now question if they were really maintaining our units those past 3 years, and are very glad to be rid of them. read more

BUYERS BEWARE! My family chose this company to do their air conditioning upgrade with because they cost more than the competitors and we wanted to pay extra for better service. Let me tell you now that is not the case. The system was installed in 2020 and since then the problems begin: First, they took 3 days to come back and fix the screw ups they made during the installation such as spider web wiring in furnace closet, falling apart furnace duct work, some extra holes drilled in my house for some reason. The condenser was placed on an unlevel surface and was not attached to a mounting pad or anything for that matter. It was bouncing around my backyard until they came and fixed it. The a/c refrigerant pipes were not covered with insulation in the attic area because they thought I wouldn't take a look at it and see what they did. Next, in a week or so, the problem was me waking up to water flooding the first floor. After a quick inspection we noticed the water was coming from the A/C unit and when the technician came to diagnose the problem he found out that there was not enough refrigerant "R410A" filled during the installation process and that's why it leaked all over my first floor. Now a year later, in 2021, the condenser started to intermittently make very loud noises that were measured up to 80dB which is equivalent to a busy downtown street and is harmful to your hearing over time. I showed the technician my video evidence that I had of the dB reading and he dismissed it because he hadn't heard the problem himself which is very convenient for them. They came to check it out and said that there is nothing wrong and it is functioning as it should and charged me $89 for a diagnostic fee. In 2022, I tried to survive with the A/C being so loud for about another whole year but it started to sound like it was on its last limb so I made another attempt to find a solution with them and scheduled an appointment. The technician arrives and finds the problem and diagnoses that the compressor was faulty. He scheduled an appointment for the next day for a technician to come and fix it. But of course, the technician who was called to come fix the compressor says the he conveniently didn't hear the problem that the coworker sent him to fix in the first place so he left leaving me with a very loud A/C. A couple hours later I got a call from general manager, Mark. He says that they don't see any issues with the system and if we hear any issues they'll be happy to schedule another appointment and take another $89 for a diagnostic fee. Then I called the 1-800 number posted on the Service Champions website as a last stand trying to find a solution before legal action and the guy on my phone promised me that the general manager, Mark, will personally call me back in the next hour and he also promised me that he will follow up with me later today as well but of course nobody called me that day or the next. In conclusion, please look at other companies for your A/C system upgrades/repairs because these guys are only interested in selling and installing new systems but when it comes to needing maintenance or service they are completely useless. read more

I wrote a review for Service Champions on 3/13 giving them 4 stars due to a scheduling mishap where I lost a day from work. (I made an appointment and nobody showed up) I was contacted the next day by the owner and asked to contact their office to discuss my review and the problem. Needless to say the resolution was an unexpectedly nice surprise as they gave me an additional year free of charge on the service plan I have with them. Jesse gave me a free year when he showed up and they gave me a second year when I called about the problem, so it covered my lost time from work! I have to say I didn't really even expect a response when I wrote the review and especially not such an immediate response from the owner himself. This really puts Service Champions ahead of any competition they may have. It really shows that they are aware and are willing to go the extra mile to make sure their customers are satisfied. There are not a lot of businesses that are willing to do this. The original review I wrote was not a bad review and I was still going to stay with Service Champions as their service personnel and the work they do are really outstanding. I've been with them for about 7 years now and my mom was a customer before she passed away. They were the ones who installed my heater and a/c and the few problems i've had were all covered under warranty. As someone who is always purchasing new items and doing business with different companies, I usually look at reviews to see how things i'm interested in rate with others. I hope this review will in turn be useful for those looking to service or replace their heater or a/c. The service plan they offer is also something I think is worth considering as any problems can be identified with the annual checkups. It's been a big help for me to stay on top of things as I get so busy sometimes I forget to keep things maintained. (cleaning the filter is one of them!) In conclusion I'm confident in giving Service Champions a solid 5 stars!!! No product or company can be 100% perfect but I truly believe they are about as close as you can get. I will continue to review them in the future so others can hopefully get a good long term review from a regular guy who's just trying to pay the bills. I'd also like to add that many of the service personnel are veterans, and all that i've met support our freedoms which are rapidly being lost/given up in the state of California. If you want to support veterans and the freedom these guys put their lives on the line for give them a try!!! It's a big win in more ways than one! -Dave read more

We initially called Service Champions because of a flyer I got in the mail regarding an A/C tune up special they were offering and ours had been acting up for a while and thought it might be worth it to have it checked out. The staff that they have is extremely professional and courteous and understand customer service. When they arrived, they were prompt and friendly explaining everything they were doing as they went along. Our unit needed to be replaced, it was original to the house (31 yrs old), so badly in need of replacement. They were able to set up an appt the same day to have a sales person come out, look at our equipment and then recommend an option for us to fit within our budget. Once we had decided upon a package, we were told that once you are given a price that is the final price and there are no other charges that can creep your bill up - what you agree upon is what you pay even if they find some other things during the installation and set up. So their pricing might be a little higher compared to some other companies, but they also encouraged us to shop around and compare - what they really sold was the service they provided and the way that work. They were able to find us an install date a couple of days later and said they could have it done in one day because they had a larger crew available to come out. We also needed to have some drywall work done as well and they had a company that they used for those purposes which they recommended and went so far as to set up the appt to coincide with when their team would be out to do the install. Rodrigo E came out and was professional and courteous like everyone else we had met so far with Service Champions. He made sure that things were brought up to code and went so far as to do some additional work with our over sized water heater that wasn't originally in the contract but needed to be done to meet the city's building code rules. This also caused the job to extend an extra day and Rigo and his crew had to come back out on Saturday to finish the job. They did a great job with the installation and worked cleanly. They made sure everything was working properly before they left. We could not recommend them more - they make sure that the customer is satisfied with the work and that the work is done right the first time. read more

Brrrrr cold winter temps are here!!!! And I my furnace broke down! This is what I was experiencing and then also a potential major expenditure on a new furnace!! I had the problem diagnosed by another company to be the pressure switch on the furnace - to add to my dismay the manufacturing company for the furnace is out of business! The other technician left me out in the cold. I went to search for another company and I am very glad that I found SERVICE CHAMPIONS! Everyone I have spoken with has been professional and helpful. Service Technician Adrian Urena was dispatched to my residence along with a new hire/trainee. He was professional, knowledgeable, helpful and great communicator. On the first visit, he tested the pressure switch, something the other technician did not do, and corrected the small amount of discrepancy it had. ( glad he knows what he was doing) He cleaned the furnace hoses and found that insects had gotten into the furnace. Before the appointment was done, he explained the benefits of SERVICE CHAMPIONS Maintenance Value Plan Agreement. I signed up right away. Overnight the furnace stopped working again, I was VERY DISAPPOINTED!!!! I called the company back and set up another appointment. Adrian was dispatched again and as far as all the diagnostic results there was no reason for the furnace to stop working. He told me that he would have to do research and consult with his colleagues to find a reason for the malfunction. When the company called back to set up another follow up appointment, they offered to deliver a loaner heater! WOW! I was impressed!! Today Adrian came back and told me that in their morning meeting they had discussed my heater - impressed! Multiple heads are better than one!! Right? Well...Adrian went to work and disconnected the exhaust vent pipe from the furnace and the problem was found and solved! There were two small dead birds in the exhaust pipe! The pipe on the outside of the building did not have a protective screen!! My home is now back to a normal temperature and SERVICE CHAMPIONS has another satisfied customer!!! I am a real estate professional - JABEZ Realty Broker - and guess who I will recommend to my clients and colleagues???? Thank you Service Champions and THANK YOU ADRIAN!!! read more

Mason Lontz of Service Champions was great and really helped us! Our air conditioning system went out and wasn't working at all. This is actually a life threatening situation for two of the members of my household. I am taking care of my 86 year old mother, and my 61 year old Sister right now. My Mom had a Heart Attack right before the Pandemic started. Her Doctors couldn't perform an Angioplasty procedure on her because they said she was to weak and fragile and could die during the procedure. Instead they gave her meds to open up the surrounding arteries and also slow her heart down so it didn't require as much blood and oxygen. She's doing alright, but she's very weak. She also had Polio when she was a kid, and even though they eventually cured it, they told her the weakness in her legs would get worse as she aged, and she would lose the ability to walk. This has happened and she's now wheelchair bound. She has several other health conditions besides her heart, the other major one being "Stage 3 Kidney Failure". She's not to the point of needing Dialysis yet but that's the next stage. Elderly people don't do well in the heat. The day after our air conditioning system went it, it was 106 degrees here in Sacramento where we live. About 10 years ago in France, over 400 elderly people died during a heat wave. Many elderly people also died from the heat after Katrina while waiting for help. I was worried that my Mom and my Sister might die if Service Champions weren't able to get our system up and running soon. My Sister has medical issues also and very bad Asthma. I'm a contractor, so I'm used to the heat. Luckily, Service Champions and Mason were able to get the system going quickly, and because of my Mother's age and health situation, they gave us "Priority" service. Their service was great, Mason was great, and they probably saved my Mom's life. I'm being overly dramatic, but that's how I felt at the time. I would have had to get my Mother in the car, and bring her to the mall or someplace cool, and sit there all day until things became slightly cooler in the evening. As it was, Mason saved the day! My thanks to Service Champions and Mason! You guys were great! read more

Dear Mr, Kevin Comerford/Ms. Erin Glass, I'm writing you today personally to voice-out my utmost 'satisfaction' for a job-well done of your able Technician, Mr. Ben Carter, who showed such professionalism and knowledge of his work at its finest. His 'phenomenal' service was beyond the call of duty. And his work ethics are 'exceptional'! I have received your service for the past 10 years we had our furnace and I haven't seen a service performed by your other technicians as 'extraordinary' such as Mr. Carter have exhibited. First of all, he's such a 'good listener' and an 'open-minded' gentleman very willing to educate you, in detail, how your furnace works and what's needed to maintain it in good working condition. Most importantly, what's the expected life span of our furnace and the expenses involved in fixing it when it finally breaks down. He was very meticulous in cleaning the filters, washing thoroughly the outside unit and cleaning every parts and bolts to perfection. The unit looks like brand new! Went up in the attic and did the same amazing detailed service to our furnace in sweltering heat. I have nothing to say against your other technicians in the company, but I have truly 'high praises' to Mr. Carter's one-of-a-kind service approach to his Customers which I find should be applied or followed as your Customer Service 'Standard Operating Procedure'(SOP), that will certainly 'elevate' your high standard of service to your customers furthermore. Mr. Carter's favorable service approach should not be taken lightly as a mere 'compliment' or 'accolade' but must be followed 'dedicatedly' as an 'example' for your employees to set forth and proudly implemented. Mr. Benjamin Carter should proudly be called, your Company's "Service Champion"! Please give him a 'Pat On The Back' for me.... "Thank You" Mr. Carter! A "BIG SHOUT OUT" TO 'YOU'! Please don't hesitate to call me if you have any question regarding my personal review of Mr. Carter's Outstanding Service Performance... GOD's Blessings and Love! Sincerely, Bong M. Tongol 2677 Gill Drive, Concord, CA.94520-2238 (925) 768-5581 bongtongol@mac.com N.B. Photos attached: read more

A couple days ago this nice young man came out to my home. He was on time, and very courteous and professional. I am slightly hard of hearing and he slowed everything down to make sure I understood. He knew I loved to travel and was taken back by the fact that he knew I loved to travel, but Don explained the people who visit me at Service Champions care about the people they service to put comments not only about the system, but about the great people they get to come service. He expressed his love of travel too! We talked for a but while he explained his tune up procedure and walked me through the process. He also was very well informed and asked if it was okay if he took a look at my water heater. He explained he read the notes and asked how is the waster heater doing for you sir? He explained he didn't want to preach about what other techs had already discussed, but would love to make sure it was still in good working order. I told him that is was the first thing on my to do list. Don then told me that sounds amazing and to let him know what my thoughts were once he was done with my tune up. He came up several times on his tune up and I had a part that he was concerned with but explained the unit would still work but was not functioning the way it should putting stress on the unit. I was grateful that he caught it. He then said Mr. Stringham I know you like to travel and what if I could help you out today and get you all taken care of. Would you be interested in getting that water heater taken care of, if I could help you save a couple bucks on your repair. I was ecstatic and knew that would be to good of a deal not to pass up. He walked me through the process as hearing on the phone can be difficult with my hearing aid and explained everything to me and wrote down my appointment time on my form. Thank you Don Coyle not only were you a pleasure to talk with, but also very patient and efficient at what you did for my system and this grateful senior. I highly recommend Service Champions if all the people they hire and send are like this young man. read more

Used Service Champions for the first time over a year ago when one of my two air conditioners was not functioning properly. They were prompt and professional from the get go and after that first service, I decided to join their MVP program. Definitely money well spent. Six months later (right on schedule) they were back to do my home efficiency review, where they checked out both air conditioners, heating, duct work, air leakage, etc. I was waiting to hear the results and I was sure it was going to cost me money, but that didn't happen. My house was in good shape...more efficient than most. (This outcome would never happen when you get your car serviced.) Today, I had my annual inspection, which went well. I was impressed with the quality of the service and yes, I needed to purchase a replacement part for one of my units which had started to leak oil. Kyle took the time to explain the problem, showed me where it was leaking and why it made sense to replace the part. Doing so, didn't break the bank and I know my system isn't going to be breaking down when its 103 outside. The people who work for Service champions from the people in the office to their service personnel, like Kyle, are great people. I trust them in my home. When this annual appointment was made, I got the 8 am appointment on Saturday morning, so I asked if taking the early appointment meant I got coffee and donuts for getting up early. I thought I was being clever, we had a laugh and I didn't think more of it until Kyle arrived this morning with donuts and a big grin. Laughing is a good way to start the day. I am very impressed with this company and annual maintenance makes sense. Summers are hot out in the Valley. Their MVP program makes it painless and you know your air is in good shape once the hot weather hits, just as the heater is ready when it gets cold. Thank you Kyle and everybody else at Service Champions for making home maintenance a pleasant and painless process. read more

I have nothing but good things to say about Service Champions, and, like one of the other reviewers, I am shocked that anyone would give them a thumbs down. We first used Service Champions to do routine maintenance, which they performed flawlessly for a couple of years. Always prompt, always efficient, always explained in layman's terms the whys and wherefores. Last month our 13-year-old furnace was acting up. One of their senior "comfort advisers," Brad Bernard, came out and performed a thorough inspection of the system. He crawled under the house and emerged with a sequence of photographs that told a tale we did not welcome -- shoddy ductwork (probably dating to construction of house in 1950s) -- as well as issues with the furnace itself. After discussing options he explained in detail, and with absolutely no pressure from him, we decided to replace the entire system -- furnace, ductwork, the whole shebang. Work commenced two days later and, to our amazement, 48 hours later they were done. Everyone I have come in contact with at Service Champions has been wonderful -- professional, courteous, respectful of one's home (they lay down tarps and runners everywhere, clean up meticulously). Two weeks after installation, they returned to test the system, spending more than two hours to do so. Minor adjustments were made to ensure maximum operating efficiency. Brad himself also returned to offer his personal thanks for the business, asked if everything was Ok and did we have any questions (no), and even gave us a thank-you gift. If I were to start a service business of my own, the first thing I would do is to photocopy Service Champions' business plan. In an age in which many of us, me included, gripe about how lousy service is, Service Champions provides convincing evidence that there are exceptions. Across the board, A-pluses. I could not recommend them more highly. Tom B., Lafayette read more