Absolute Heating & Air Conditioning

Other than restaurants, this is the first review I’ve ever written.
Mike was superb! He replaced an old heater with a larger, better one that has increased the warmth in the house. By changing the registers in the MBR, he has made my wife very happy.
He replaced the thermostat and when there was a programming question he clearly explained
my mistake. He patiently answered all of my wife’s many questions.
If there were six stars he would deserve them for his technical expertise, his patient, helpful manner and fairness.

How Mike saved Christmas,
The day before Christmas Eve, the heater goes out at my VRBO in Ocean Beach.
It seems that all HVAC companies are too booked up, including the one that sold me the unit 10 years ago.
I head over to Home Depot to buy a couple of space heaters to try getting my guests by and happen to see a truck that says, «Absolute Heating and Air Conditioning». A big burly guy gets out and I ask him if he repairs heaters. It turns out this is the owner, Mike.
He says he does repair but that they too are totally booked. He said call the office and they will try their best to help me out tomorrow.
He also gives me his cell phone number and tells me to get back to the heater and call him and he’ll see if he can help ME fix it over the phone.
after hearing the symptoms, he is sure that he can fix it over the phone and tells me about three easy steps to try.
I tried those steps and the furnace lit up, I replaced the thermostat and my guests spent a warm Christmas Eve with their loved ones.
Thank you so much Mike.
I’ll certainly be recommending and using Absolute Heating and Air in the future.
Merry Christmas
Mark Adams

scheduled an appointment for 6 and needed to call them for an update. 3 hours later the guy who suppose to run an estimate shows up. it was so late in the day it was almost 9. it took him literally 5 mins and says «ill have someone email you the quote»
until till this day (prob 3 weeks later) i have yet to receive this quote.
late, unprofessional and inconsiderate. I wouldn’t go through these guys.
STOP FRONTING! YOU GUYS ARE JUST MODERATING REVIEWS! YOU NEED TO FOCUS AND YOUR WORK AND CUSTOMER SERVICE! EVERYONE KNOWS USERS WHO GIVE 5 STARS W 1 – 2 REVIEWS ARE FAKE. DUUUH!!!

Don’t know where to begin in praising Absolute… perhaps with Mike, the owner, who brought his creative genius to bear to figure out how to install AC into an older, coastal house probably never meant to have AC! In addition to the limitations of the house, he also had to come up with a plan that met the requirements of our HOA. He developed a unique plan and, along with his incredible team, made it happen. I can’t remember when I’ve dealt with such smart, creative, resourceful, competent and incredibly hardworking people. From the women in the office, to the guys who tirelessly got the job done and to Mike who is truly amazing… you won’t find better people to do this work for you than the team at Absolute! And did I mention how nice they all are?! This truly is a five star company… we found them on Unilocal and we’re so glad we did!

I needed to install a new HVAC system. Based on the good reviews, I invited Mike Della-​Mora, the owner of the company to come to my house to give me an estimate. Mike was willing to come out on a Friday evening. He answered all my questions professionally and was very knowledgeable about every step of the installation. I was very impressed and decided to hire Mike’s company to do the job.
When Mike arrived, I asked him to park his van on my driveway to make it easier for him to unload his installation tools. Mike insisted on parking his van on the street because he was afraid that his van might leak engine oil on my driveway. What a thoughtful guy! Mike earned my respect even before he started to do his job.
Mike told me that he had started helping his dad to do HVAC work since he was a little boy. Mike demonstrated what a master installer he was by doing an excellent job to install the new HVAC system for my house. I was so happy with the job Mike did that I gave him a nice Sony portable stereo as a gift to his three lovely kids.
The new HVAC system works great. I HIGHLY recommend Absolute Heating and Air Conditioning for all your HVAC needs. Thank you Mike!

I called Absolute Heating and Air Conditioning after calling other companies who lacked professionalism to say the least and from the the moment I called the person on the other line was extremely helpful and informative. The main reason I called them was due to their great reviews and I was NOT disappointed. Mike came out to inspect the air conditioning unit of my commercial building and introduced himself by stating if his visit only required a visual inspection that’s what he would do but if major repairs were needed he would be completely honest. He showed me the condition it was in and gave me his professional opinion about the situation. I am extremely satisfied with his professionalism and knowledge. I don’t usually like to recommend anyone because if that person fails to perform my credibility gets tainted but in Mike’s case I HIGHLY recommend his services for all your a/​c needs. Thank you Mike…

We recently hired Absolute to install a completely new 4 ton air conditioning condenser, flex hose, copper pipe, wiring, new registers and new locations for the registers, thermostat and furnace in our tri-​level home.
Mike beat the quotes of 4 other companies by quite a bit, educated me with important facts, and installed American made equipment. They showed up on time, addressed issues as they arose and satisfied our high expectations.
Over the last two years I have almost completely renovated my house and have dealt with many contractors and many issues. Mike and his crew did a great job and I would strongly recommend him. Hire this company!

I waited 3 months for this company!!! AND it was worth it. My AC went out in August, of coarse it was during the heat wave, we call it summer. I wanted to use a local company, did a search on Unilocal and this company had many many wonderful reviews. Sure, I could have called another company, but I just wanted to use a local business. Mike & Brian showed up, did their examination and knew immediately what needed to happen. They came back the next evening and made the repairs in less than 1/​h hr. I found them to be honest, no hemming or hawing, very professional with a fun sense of humor. The cost for the repair was fair! I appreciate a job well done, an affordable rate. It’s a relief to know that if something else happens to my AC/​Heating unit I have this company to call. Thank you, Absolute!

I scheduled an appointment for an estimate for new heating and air conditioning. They called a few days before my appointment and asked me to reschedule for another day, which I did. When my rescheduled appointment time came around, they called and said that they wouldn’t be able to make it. They asked to reschedule again. They did not show or call at my second rescheduled appointment time, but called an hour later to say they were on their way. The reason our technician gave for the delay was that he was buying a new couch for his family, which took longer than expected. I would have at least expected a call to let me know he was running behind. I decided to give another company a chance to earn my business instead.

Maria, it’s interesting to see this «nice» reply after threatening me with a lawsuit (within minutes of my posting) for writing my factual review. Regardless, I will stick with the facts…
1. Repair vs. replacement. I’m not playing semantics with you. Frankly the heater unit that you ultimately replaced could have been simply repaired. However, your technicians made so many mis-​diagnosis of the actual problem that nobody will ever know for sure. Don’t you remember the mis-​diagnosis that were made and you acknowledged in writing?
2. In regard to communication with me-​I have written no less than 4 emails and made 3 phone calls to you asking for service on your malfunctioning «installation», none of which you replied to. I even sent you a registered letter several months ago (you signed for it)…but I still didn’t hear from you. So its a plain lie to say you haven’t been able to reach me.
3. I did pay for the installation. I have cancelled checks for $ 1000 to your company. So let’s be honest when YOU write on Unilocal.I also provided you the bills and cancelled checks for $ 500+ I paid to a different company to repair the unit you installed. So who knows why you think you are owed anything. Instead you should be giving me my money back.
The facts of the situation remain indisputable…
1. You admitted you made mis-​diagnosis (that’s why you gave the good deal you noted). Your company made no less that 7 visits to the property… and still didn’t get it right.
2. The heater you installed, did not work properly.
3. You did not respond to service requests (emails and phones or registered letter)
4. I have bills and written statement from the company that fixed your poor work and the unit has worked PERFECTLY ever since.
I am happy to lay out all of these facts and documentation publicly… or will you threaten me with a lawsuit again?
BOTTOM LINE: Some businesses are really «good» at managing their Unilocal reviews… so don’t take positive reviews as you sole reason for utilizing any business. That was my mistake.

I highly recommend this company! I had been jerked around by several companies with higher quotes to repair my A/​C and then got recommended Absolute Heating and A/​C by a colleague.
Mike was willing to come out late on a Friday and offered a cheaper solution than the other companies. He was really nice and very helpful. He offered a 1 year parts and labor guarantee as well!
He was very trustworthy and very quick to fix the issue, and charged less than half of the other companies.
I will recommend these guys to all my friends and family!

I can’t say anything about their service… THEY DON’T ANSWER THEIR PHONE OR HAVE A VOICEMAIL. I wonder if customers have issues contacting them for follow on issues.

I highly recommend Absolute Heating and Air! They were very professional and did a terrific job on installing my new heating and ac system. My old house had a gas wall furnace, and I’m glad I chose AH & AC to do the work. Mike was knowledgeable and professional, and his crew and office staff were polite, courteous, and very helpful. In doing the work, he brought my attention to a problem with my gas meter that was potentially dangerous and I had no clue about. When SDG&E came out to fix it, they commented on «what an excellent job your installer did». The building inspector was very complimentary too.
When Mike came to do the estimate, he told me that the price he quoted would be the price I would pay, even if there ended up being something extra that needed to be dealt with. On an old house, that is almost always a given! So when some hiccups came up, Mike stuck to his word and did not charge me extra. He is a man of his word. I will definitely recommend this company to my friends, and will call them out for any service calls I may need in the future. Thanks Absolute Heating and Air!

After some initial communication issues, that the company was quick to resolve, we chose them to instal a new central AC system. The two installers were top notch! Daniel is a huge asset to Mike’s company. They also quoted is a great price! Definitely recommend using this small dependable family business!

We had our furnace replaced and added A/​C in December 2013. Mike the owner was very knowledgeable and quoted us a honest price for the job. The crew worked a little slower than expected, finishing in three days rather than two, however, Mike was very responsive and personally got the minor issues resolved promptly.
The San Diego city inspection was a huge hassle and they kept adding things to inspection report as they were resolved (some them even being pre-​existing conditions to the house). Mike went to great lengths to satisfy the inspector so that our HVAC could get approval.
Absolute installed a new digital thermostat which is programmable. The system works great and we’ve had to use the heater so far. I can’t wait until the summer to use the A/​C (at least for the 2 – 4 weeks it actually gets hot here). Overall, we were extremely satisfied with our experience with Absolute and would recommend them for HVAC work.

Update: 1÷19÷2014. A few days after writing my review below, Mike the owner called, said he’d been reviewing recent invoices, saw I’d been charged $ 90 when it should have only been $ 45 since it was «just an inspection.» He apologized for who he said was a new worker (but Chris told me he’s a relative of Mike?). Anyway he sent me a refund of $ 45, so I paid $ 45 for Chris to spend 15 seconds telling me nothing was wrong, which my engineer boyfriend assures me is not accurate, as you’ll hear if you read on. However, I upgraded my rating from one star to two stars as a result of the refund:
Original review of 1÷9÷2014: Sad I feel the need to write this review. Chris was just here (1÷9÷2014). I made an appointment because I didn’t think my Trane’s humidifier was working (& after talking with my engineer boyfriend, we still don’t). I get a chronic bloody nose during winter with the ultra-​dry indoor air. When I called to make the appointment, I asked about fees. The woman said Chris would let me know once he looked at my furnace. In 15 seconds, after turning the knob on my humidifier and hearing a sound that he said meant it was responding, Chris said the humidifier was working perfectly. I asked how he could know without looking at the water line or where it connected with the furnace. He had an answer for everything, despite me telling me the humidity never changed whether we set it to 0 or to 80 during any season even with furnace off. He said that’s just the way it is. He volunteered to show me some things about my furnace, but I was worried about the cost and said if he charged by the hour, then never mind. He told me «Don’t worry about it. I love what I do.» He pointed out some things. When it was time to pay, he paused while writing up the invoice, saying, «I don’t know what to charge you – I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING.» Literally, those were his words: «I didn’t do anything.» I totally agree – he didn’t do anything – and he did it (nothing) in 15 seconds. The invoice he gave me was for $ 90: «performed inspection.» If I was told there was a $ 90 minimum fee when I called to make the appointment and asked what the cost would be, I would not be giving Absolute such a low rating. My engineer boyfriend said Chris’ answers don’t make sense, so I’m scheduling another appointment with another HVAC company. My bloody nose and dry eyes are miserable. I consider my appointment with Absolute a waste of time and money.

I’m writing this review two weeks after the work was done because I wanted to test my AC unit to make sure it worked this weekend. It did!
My AC unit has a leak somewhere and I had another AC company come out (SD Air) and come «fix» it last year (you can read about it on my Unilocal review of that company). Well after spending close to $ 1K on the supposed «fix» by SD Air, the leak persisted, I even complained to the BBB about it to no resolution.
Anyway Kyle from Absolute came out, went up to my attic, found the leak, showed me where it was and repaired it. Real cool dude. I’m only giving four stars out of five because they shouldn’t overcharge on the freon.
I am thoroughly satisfied so far because my AC s working. Kyle even gave me his personal cell number just in case he didn’t fix the problem.

I’ve had work done on my AC by Absolute twice now, and could not be happier. Unlike other AC places in town, these guys are NOT scam artists. They are the real deal. Several years ago I worked with owner Mike, and today with Kyle. Both were honest, straightforward, and knowledgeable. Instead of insisting on a costly full replacement of our AC system after only a cursory inspection, in both cases Mike and Kyle were able to make a full repair at a fair price. And so when it is time for a new heating and air system, I have no interest in even looking anywhere else. If you’ve been given a sky-​high quote by another AC place, definitely get a second opinion from Absolute.

Called Absolute because a/​c stopped working. Long story short, after listening to my symptoms Mike gave me something I could check myself that was simple yet would narrow down the potential problems and potentially reveal the actual problem… it worked! Every other company (4 of them) who I gave the exact same symptoms to on the phone would have charged the service fee to come out, and even worse might have charged me for work that wasn’t needed.
Now most likely your situation will not be taken care of over the phone (obviously a very rare occurrence because of my particular situation), but this showed that Mike is honest enough to help when he can and he wont try and milk you for a service fee for something that he knows you might be able to do yourself.
Obviously Mike is not in the business of sitting on the phone all day to try and help people solve their own problems, and obviously most situations require him to come and actually check things himself… but he’s obviously not going to jerk you around when he knows of a cheaper/​quicker way to fix something.
Don’t worry about getting ripped off by this company, they definitely are on the «up-​and-​up» and saved me a lot of time/​money for a situation that was an easy fix. When I have a problem that isn’t a lucky/​quick fix I’ll be calling Mike again for sure.

Mike’s a combat war veteran, and a really nice guy, so I’ll spot him an extra star. Unfortunately, his fix for my AC system didn’t last long.
He gave me two options to try and fix my freon leak. The first was a very expensive nitrogen process that he said would take two weeks to perform. The next provider I had out here did this for free, in less than an hour.
The second option, which I chose, was a canned «fix a flat» type solution that he could do immediately. He claimed that «80% of these that he has done never call him back.» At the time, that sounded like a good bet, but now I realize that it’s because it doesn’t work. My advice is that if you decide to give Mike a chance on your HVAC system, be skeptical of the quick fix.
A couple weeks after Mike left, I noticed that a screw-​on cap near the bottom of my AC system was completely off and lying on the ground. Assuming that wasn’t right, I screwed it back on finger tight. That ultimately proved to be the problem, as the next provider who came out independently diagnosed this valve as the source of my leak. I’ll give Mike the benefit of the doubt and assume this was an accident, but still, that shouldn’t have happened.