Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Preferred Air Conditioning & Mechanical, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Preferred Air Conditioning & Mechanical, Inc.

  1643 Donna Rd West Palm Beach, FL 33409

  
• 

  Preferred Air Conditioning & Mechanical, Inc.

  831 S Kings Hwy Fort Pierce, FL 34945-3016

  

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/18/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had two brand new ************ installed on a new construction home in ******************. After 14 months I reached out to Preferred Air Conditioning as my second story unit was not cooling at all. The technician arrived and found a slow leak in my evaporator coil that he said was likely leaking since the unit was installed because of how slow the leak is. He added some refrigerant to my leaking unit to keep it going and told me they would order the part under warranty. I paid $539 for this visit. They showed up about 10 days later to replace my evaporator coil, removed my old one and once the old one was removed the technician confirmed I was familiar with the costs. (I told him no, the last technician said it was a warranty replacement). They were attempting to charge me $875, plus $114 for every 1lb of refrigerant up to 6 lbs for my system. When I questioned the service manager, she told me they had no way to identify it was a slow leak or defective since new and attempted to hold me hostage with no evaporator coil in my unit. I told them I will not agree to this price especially since they brought it up AFTER they removed my existing coil and instructed the technician to reinstall the evaporator coil. I'm now stuck with a poor-performing HVAC unit costing me more money on utilities bill and the vendor trying to charge me ~$1,500 on a 14 month old unit to hopefully repair it.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/19/2025

  The system is outside of the labor warranty and there are charges for the labor to repair. The parts themselves are the only thing still covered by the manufacturer. The price you paid was for afterhours service which is a little more than normal business hours just based on the elevated costs to run a technician afterhours. The technician and office gave pricing to replace the coil. Yes, the price is $885 plus refrigerant at $114 per pound. We have no way to know exactly how much refrigerant you will need or IF you will need any at all since the technician had just added some when he was there for the afterhours call. As explained the consumer can use any Carrier authorized dealer to replace that warranty part the consumer will still have to pay them the labor. We are not holding anything hostage we have returned the part to the vendor once he declined the repair. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/19/2025

   
  Complaint: 22955745
  
  I am rejecting this response because the first ********** at my house said this was a very slow refrigerant leak that was likely leaking since it was brand new. Furthermore I was told this would be replaced under warranty. It wasn't until the second ********** removed the coil that he notified me of these prices and after escalating to the service manager, she attempted to leverage this until I agreed on payment of these terms. I demanded the old coil be reinstalled as to as to not fall victim to these deceptive and underhanded business practices.
  
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/19/2025

  The part (ONLY) is covered under the warranty the labor is not. The warranty with the builder is only 1 year labor on the labor. Consumer is free to use any Carrier authorized dealer, and it is strongly recommended that they call one to have the unit repaired because it will without a doubt fail it is leaking freon. The system running for long periods of time with low refrigerant could cause problems and premature failure of other components of the system resulting in more costly repairs.

  The system in the home has been running since October 2023 with no regular maintenance and we have not been called to the home since October 2023 for any cooling issues. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/19/2025

  
  Complaint: 22955745
  
  I am rejecting this response because the response is both misleading and disingenuous. At no point during my discussions with the technician, nor in either of the two phone calls I made to schedule the follow-up appointment, was it ever disclosed that I would be responsible for labor costs. This critical detail was conveniently omitted until after the technician had already removed the existing coil, at which point your service manager engaged in what can only be described as a coercive tacticattempting to pressure and intimidate my family into paying an unexpected and unjustified charge.
  Furthermore, the tone and manner in which this was communicated were entirely unprofessional, bordering on predatory. The service managers behavior was not only rude but deliberately manipulative, attempting to exploit a situation and make my family comply under duress. This is an egregious breach of transparency and ethical business practices.
  Additionally, your claim regarding the lack of regular maintenance is both irrelevant and diversionary as your making the assumption that Preferred Air Conditioning is the only company in ***************** to "service" an HVAC unit.  The core issue here is not maintenance but rather the deceptive manner in which your company handled this repair process. Your obligation was to disclose all costs upfront, not retroactively impose them once the work had already commenced.
  I expect a prompt and satisfactory resolution to this matter, including an acknowledgment of your companys failure to communicate costs transparently and an appropriate corrective action to rectify this situation. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/02/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I recently discovered that the air conditioning system installed in my home by Preferred Air Conditioning was not properly registered for the manufacturers warranty, leaving me with an unexpected repair bill. The air conditioner was installed by Preferred Air Conditioning in March 2019, prior to my purchasing the home in mid-June 2019. A few days ago, the blower in the system failed. The company I hired to replace the blower first checked if the system, a Carrier model, was still under warranty. Carrier air conditioners come with a 10-year warranty if the warranty is registered properly and on time. However, to my frustration, we found that Preferred Air Conditioning had not registered the warranty at all. Due to this oversight, I had to pay $400 to replace the blower, which would have been fully covered under the warranty had it been registered. I am disappointed that this was not handled correctly and would like an explanation from Preferred Air Conditioning as to why they failed to register the warranty. I also want to ensure that others are made aware of this issue so they do not experience the same frustration. I respectfully request a response and would appreciate steps to rectify this matter. Thank you.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/03/2024

  Registration is *****% the responsibility of the property owner at all times. We do not register equipment as a sub-contractor for a builder, we do not know who purchases a property or when a property is purchased. It would have been your responsibility to register the equipment within 90 days of closing. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/21/2024

   
  Complaint: 22371628
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Your response is disappointing and lacks accountability. While I understand that property owners are typically responsible for registering warranties, in this case, the air conditioning unit was installed before I purchased the home. I was never informed by you, the installer, or the builder that the warranty needed to be registered within 90 days. This important detail was overlooked, and as a result, I had to pay $400 out-of-pocket for a blower replacement that should have been covered under Carriers 10-year warranty.
  

  It's unacceptable to shift the entire responsibility onto the homeowner when you were contracted to install the system and should have ensured proper follow-through, or at least communicated the warranty process to the builder or the original property owner. Your lack of communication directly led to this costly oversight.
  

  I expect your company to take responsibility for this issue and offer a resolution, whether that be reimbursement for the $400 or another form of compensation. I trust that you will address this promptly, as it reflects directly on the professionalism of your business.
  

  I look forward to your response and a satisfactory resolution.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** **********

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/22/2024

  We are contracted by the builder and have no idea when a home sells or who it sells to, there is at no time where we are provided notification of a homes purchase. Once we complete the final phase of our contracted work, we do not return to the home sometimes for many many months or sometimes never. All registrations are at ALL times **********% the responsibility of the homeowner we will not be providing any compensation at any point for this. Have a wonderful day! 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/23/2024

   
  Complaint: 22371628
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I am disappointed by the dismissive and sarcastic tone in Preferred Air Conditionings response. While I understand that you may not be directly informed when a property changes hands, it remains a fact that the air conditioner was installed prior to my ownership. I had no opportunity to register the warranty within the required 90-day period. No one, including the builder or your company, communicated the need for registration.
  To suggest that this oversight is entirely my responsibilitywhen I wasnt even the owner when the air conditioner was installeddemonstrates a lack of accountability on your part. Instead of addressing the situation professionally, you chose to respond with sarcasm, which I find highly unprofessional, especially considering this is a legitimate concern over a $400 out-of-pocket expense that should have been covered under warranty.
  While I no longer expect compensation based on your unwillingness to take responsibility, I hope this serves as a warning to future customers. If you choose to work with ********************** Air **********************, be aware that they will not assist you with warranty registration or follow through after installation, leaving you potentially out of pocket for costs that should have been avoided.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** **********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/10/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Reviews from the web 4/5Facebook 25 votes ****** review summary 5 4 3 2 1 4.0 (177)Reviews All company32 call19 job18 tech16 +6 Sort by Most relevant Newest Highest Lowest *************************** 20 reviews18 photos 15 hours ago NEW Preferred a/c came with our newly built home so we used them. Despite ...(per Preferreds strong suggestions to install uv lights and halo air scrubbers )which we did to 3 units we NOW HAVE BLACK MOLD on our coils and units. I also test More Photo 1 in review by *************************** Photo 2 in review by *************************** Photo 3 in review by *************************** Photo 4 in review by *************************** ********************* 1 review2 photos 5 months ago Services: HVAC system repair, HVAC system maintenance, A/C system maintenance, Heating system repair, A/C system repair, Installation, HVAC *********** repair, Heating system installation, Install thermostat, HVAC *********** installation, Repair HVAC, Install AC, A/C preventive maintenance Positive: Professionalism, Punctuality, Quality, Responsiveness, ******************** As a plumber I know how hard it is to please people. This company came out just before the long holiday , my 10 year old ac was dead on arrival this company did absolutely everything possible to get me some cold air. I was More Photo 1 in review by ********************* Photo 2 in review by ********************* 1 ********************* 10 reviews3 photos 4 months ago Positive: Professionalism, Punctuality, Quality, Responsiveness, Value In todays times, it is very difficult to find a company that can deliver five star service. Preferred Air Conditioning and Mechanical delivered Five Stars in every category. More Photo 1 in review by ********************* Photo 2 in review by ********************* *********************** ****** 8 reviews1 photo 4 months ago Positive: Professionalism, Punctuality, Quality, Responsiveness **** and *** made a great job, the installed my new thermostat quickly and the job was well done. Then after, they walked me trough the app to configure my new EcoBee thermostat...5 Stars highly recommended Photo 1 in review by *********************** ****** *************************** 20 reviews18 photos 15 hours ago NEW Preferred a/c came with our newly built home so we used them. Despite ...(per Preferreds strong suggestions to install uv lights and halo air scrubbers )which we did to 3 units we NOW HAVE BLACK MOLD on our coils and units. I also test insanely high for mycotoxin illness now with needing inhalers and detox. When I asked to speak with *************************** ****** said I field his calls and you won't speak to him unless I say ok. She then hung up on me twice. I called a different location and they will not answer my calls . beware !!!****************** please call us not certain you know how your hired assistance are treating your customers. We live in a new community too and I've shared on our neighborhood app my experience seems I'm not alone

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/27/2024

  The ****** residence started maintenance visits with our company when home was already over 2 years old (install date 1/10/19). The first maintenance was completed on 7/21/21. Each maintenance visit should be scheduled by the homeowner no more than 6 months apart as stated on our maintenance agreement. Following are the dates of their maintenance visits which are inconsistent with our recommendation for properly maintaining the systems.
  7/21/21
  5/25/22 homeowner purchase uv lights at this time as well- home is over 3 years old
  1/17/23
  10/20/23
  2/9/24
  At our maintenance visit on 2/9/24 the homeowner complained about growth on the coils. ************** found 2 of the systems with clean coils and the main system with a bit of buildup consisting mostly of dog hair.The technician attempted to explain this to the homeowner and collect payment for the service provided when he was abruptly escorted out of the house and told she would not be paying and she would be contacting the owner of our company and her attorney.
  The homeowner did contact the branch manager but refused to communicate her issues with anyone but the owner and irately yelled that her attorney would be contacting us and the call was ended.  
  I have provided pictures from the technician showing all 3 coils. Please note that rust/corrosion is not preventable by uv lights nor is the breakdown and/or removal of dog hair. There are also other factors that contribute to growth and/or debris on coils such as filter type, frequency of filter replacement, pets, dust etc. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/27/2024

   
  Complaint: 21274590
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  1...I don't believe this was answered but the owner . The owner would not dismiss this serious case with such arrogance and lies! 

  Home was purchased in 2019 and installed by preferred Air.  At this time I shared my medical report with preferred Air and spent thousands of dollars for Air scrubber and lights for 3 units . This was all preferred airs suggestions.  My healthier s a priority we also purchased special hepa filters to add another layer of protection.  We have 3 dogs accumulatatively weigh 12 lbs and are non shedding due to my issue. I did not mention any growth on the quails. What I did mention was? My health was declined and showed my recent report of ******* toxin illness period I then asked him to open all the units so I could see inside myself with my husband doubting they were okay . At that pointwe could see that there was not only moldust around the closet of each unit which should not be there. But upon examination of opening up the a frame unit , it was covered in black mold And the technician said look at this. The original green mesh filter was never changed from four years ago. At that point, my alarm was justified and I had just ordered an eE. R. M .i. home test for mold. If you're on familiar, it's done through quest lab like all of our other tests are done. After you swab with a certain cloth that they sent you. They then send it and grow the culture. The technician actually helped me get the mold swab. Complete and on the green mesh original Filter. I've attached the results for you. It is mold and fungus that's common that makes us very sick. Starts in your brain and works through your body. And it's not a quick growing mold. It shows that it's been there a long time. So I have proof that they are lying. I asked to speak to the owner.

  And i've already in my original complaint shared very openly how ****** treated m. The technician asked me to pay $500. Would you have paid five hundred dollars? I did ask to speak to the owner as I felt that I was being.

  Lied too. I actually called to speak to be owner while the technician was here but something was happening when he went outside and called ******. And then I got the response where she hung up on me....mostly I worry about others who are less educated to the extreme dangers of mold and the practices of what c,aims to be a business 40 years in the making built on honesty and great relationships...I don't think **************** is spreading his reviews or complaints.  I

  The 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/27/2024

  Please see new attachments of actual lab tests done on the units in question..acceptable amounts are referenced and my actual homes reading is also shown . That means if 500 is the limit ours is over *****. That's not dog hair or common dust. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/04/2024

  From today March 4th another company is here to try to slavage my health and these 3 units that preferred claims was dog hair and dust .still haven't heard from Mr *************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/04/2024

  From today March 4th another company is here to try to slavage my health and these 3 units that preferred claims was dog hair and dust .still haven't heard from Mr *************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/04/2024

  From today March 4th another company is here to try to slavage my health and these 3 units that preferred claims was dog hair and dust .still haven't heard from Mr *************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/04/2024

  We also live in a new build area in ********* which all of the neighbors have been shown and informed that preferred Air doesn't care about ethics morals or customers health 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/04/2024

  Air scrubber halo that preferred sold ** was never checked this is mold growth

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/04/2024

  These are the service dates per Preferred Air themselves 

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/04/2024

  UV lights and Reme Halos are recommended to assist in keeping the coils clean and in purifying the air. There is however no guarantee with these products that will entirely prevent growth 100%. It is stated by the manufacturer that the Reme Halo will reduce surface bacteria, viruses, odor and mold.
  Preventative maintenance every 6 months from the start up of the system is also recommended but has not been completed.
  If there is microbial growth within your home the source should be located by a professional IAQ specialist.
  The original service call for this homeowner was scheduled as preventative maintenance visit and the cost was agreed upon at the time of scheduling. The service was completed however the homeowner has refused payment

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/04/2024

   
  Complaint: 21274590
  
  I am rejecting this response because: please see newest 

  Photos attached . E

  WHEN DO THE LIES END!!!! HOW DARE PREFERRED NOT CARE ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH,  LIE CHEAT AND SCEEM AGAINST THE PUBLIC DESPITE EVIDENCE OF CONTINUAL LIES . WE AREASKING FOR $10,000 TO COVER REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALL THE LIES COVERING MONEY SPENT TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING, HAVING TO HIRE REPUTABLE COMPANY TO make our home habitable..safe . My medical bills to detox myself from mycotoxin illness I'm currently down with as a result of preferred airs negligence.  We will not let this go or be intimidated by their help or owner. 
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/05/2024

  We did have a specialist herewho did a complete and thorough testing of our systems and air. I've provided those results already! When will the lies end!? I've provided proof along with pictures of the I eternal parts could of our ac units . It's more than obvious this wasn't done correctly resulting in a dangerous build up of mold . Aside from legal actions hoping this company would take responsibility voluntarily which they are not nor has the owner even been made aware of our claims and problems with their services. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/11/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  June 29, 2023 Service Manager,On June 19th, I had a service call with a very inexperienced technician that not only missed a significant leak in the air handler coils in my Carrier system, but left the caps off of all of the valves on the outdoor unit and left my sliding glass door out to the unit open and unlocked. Despite having to add two pounds of refrigerant, he said there was no leak on either the inside or outside equipment.Please note that your company installed the system in 2016 when the house was built and I have had a service contract since that time with Preferred.When explaining to my boss that I would need another day off within a week of that appointment due to the system freezing up again, he insisted on sending me his A/C repair company.Thank goodness he did, as the leak in the coils could be heard as soon as the cover was removed from the unit. They were also able to secure a new coil and get it installed in the same day.The problem for me is that I paid Preferred $471.00 on June 19th (check copy enclosed) for a service call and two pounds of refrigerant not to fix the problem and then another $985 dollars yesterday to the other company (receipt enclosed).Accordingly, I respectfully request a refund of the $471 I paid your company.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/26/2023

  Hello, 

  We will happily refund the leak search part of the call $136. 

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/26/2023

  Because of the leak that was missed I paid 400 for Freon that leaked right back out and I paid second company to replace again. The offer is unacceptable.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/26/2023

   
  Complaint: 20725931
  
  I am rejecting this response because:Because of the leak that was missed I paid 400 for Freon that leaked right back out and I paid second company to replace again. The offer is unacceptable. 
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/26/2023

  We are happy to refund for the leak search itself but the freon was used and we cannot refund that. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/26/2023

  The Freon was used because your tech missed what the second company showed me was a very obvious leak. Had your technician found the leak I would not have had to replace the Freon twice in one week. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/30/2023

   
  Complaint: 20725931
  
  I am rejecting this response because:The Freon was used because your tech missed what the second company showed me was a very obvious leak. Had your technician found the leak I would not have had to replace the Freon twice in one week.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************