Blue Bear Plumbing Heating & Air

1 star – Very poor boiler installation and service experience I chose Blue Bear Plumbing, Heating & Air because they were highly rated on Google, and I even called them myself to set up a service plan and tune-up for the propane boiler they had installed for the previous owner of my home. Only after this did I start looking more closely at their previous work and discovered several serious issues. First, there is a large open hole in the basement wall tied to the chimney behind the heating system. It appears they may have removed the old oil boiler before installing the new propane one and failed to properly seal this hole afterward. The hole lets in a strong draft and is dangerous because it risks carbon monoxide leaks, moisture intrusion, heat loss, and pest entry near a live heating system. Second, the propane tanks were installed less than 5 feet from an open window and less than 10 feet from the intake vent, while the exhaust vent was run high to clear the distance. It looks like, instead of correcting the intake location, they just moved the exhaust higher, which still leaves the tanks too close. Third, the condensate pump discharge from the basement is simply allowed to run down the exterior wall and foundation, staining the concrete and siding, instead of being routed to a proper drain or away from the house. When I called to set up a heating-only maintenance plan (based on what I saw on their website), the technician completed the tune-up and then I was told that they only had a heating-and-cooling plan - even though I do not have any cooling system. I was pressured either to sign up for the more expensive heating-and-cooling plan or pay a one-time tune-up price that was almost the same cost. Overall, I regret choosing Blue Bear Plumbing, Heating & Air. I would urge anyone using them to inspect their work carefully.

I called blue bear Thursday and Andrew showed up the next morning to give me a quote on a water heater replacement. He was very professional and easy to talk to explained to me in detail what my options were and didn’t try and up-sale me or pressure me into any choice and couldn’t have been more helpful. The following Monday Frank the technician came and installed the new water heater. It looks great everything works great you wouldn’t even know he was there he did such a good job with clean up. The fact that this was done two work days after my initial phone call tells you what a great company this is! I will be using them for all future purchases/repairs

From my first conversation with the Blue Bear reps to the work completed by Austin B., we are extremely satisfied with the information provided, the return calls, texts, and service provided. The plumber came and surveyed our leaking water heater, asked questions, determined next steps, and suggested a couple of brands/types, and we decided on one that should serve us well for the next 20 years. The brand I initially considered and the process to install it would not have been the most economical or design-wise configuration for the area. Austin is very knowledgeable and operates like he truly cares about the quality of his work, explaining his process along the way. Although Blue Bear’s quote was a bit pricier than others, the service we received, along with their Blue Bear care plan, was worth the cost.