Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Cole Air Contracting Ltd.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 5 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 1 complaint closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe 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:16/04/2025
Type: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.
In 2021 I had Cole Air Contracting install a 5T heat pump at my residence. throughout the first two years of installation, there were numerous issues causing the unit to be less efficient then it should be. There were a number of charged service calls, to try and diagnose the issue, to little avail. the owner was by and insisted this wasn't his issue, blaming poor home insulation as one of many reasons for the poor efficiency. it took a lot of back and forth, eventually it was deemed an improper installation, as the technician didn't provide enough charge in the line to maintain proper efficient operation.
This past two years there has been a more serious issue, still pertaining to the same installed unit. the heater unit, which is housed in the interior unit, has been burning up causing electrical fires. the company seems to be in denial that there is an issue. Although I have heard that there are numerous cases that are similar to mine.
They have switched out the entire heater unit, however this hasn't fixed the underlying issue as the unit is still burning up. Apparently there is no alternative heater kits for this particular unit. My request to the company has been simple, if there is a bigger issue with the heater unit, that cant be fixed. Then the unit itself will need to be replaced.
**** (the owner) last year refused to make a trip to my house, without payment upfront. when he got to my house, it was brief, with him stating "this is a waste of my time being here"... he left blaming anything other then the installed unit. less then a week after that, the heater burnt out for a second time.
If this particular unit is only compatible with this faulty heater kit, then that makes this unit faulty. As such, then the unit itself is faulty, and my request is that this unit be replaced.
this is a safety concern that could cause serious injury or damage to my home & family.
Business Response
Date: 22/04/2025
Hi,
We will begin our response by outlining the situation as per our records in chronological order:
- Unit was Installed June - 2021 with a ****** Parts only warranty. (No additional labour warranty purchased)
- There was an issue when units was first installed and technicians were back and forth to correct the issue. The unit was going into aux heat and the outdoor unit was not operating properly - Blower wheel was ordered and replaced for customer April 2022. The fan relay was at fault for the unit not operating which is was a manufacturer issues and in no way the fault of the actual installation by Cole Air.
- Customer stated by email on May 16th, 2022 "So far So good on the unit. Appears to be working well since our last appointment with **** at the end of April. Hoping to see some improvements on the bills going forward."I have attached the latest bill For the month of April to place with the others you should now have them all ranging from July '21 thru April '22. " (The homeowner was looking for reimbursement for the power bills they considered were elevated to to their issues with Heat Pump but ****** does not cover power/light bills for customers.)
- Customer stated that the electricity bills, along with the rebate from Greener Homes, has yet to be resolved.
- June 2nd 2022 - Office Manager Cole Air Contracting contacted Greener Homes/AmeriSpec - there’s nothing can be done with regards to rebates where the energy assessment was not completed.
- May 17th 2023 - Technician and the owner viewed energy issues and consumption on a site visit and determined the unit will need a Control Board.- May 26th 2023 - Control Board Replaced. Everything is operating as it should.
- May 30th 2023 - Owner did a site visit to determine what was going on with the unit. Owner inspected all electrical and operating components of heat pump system.
Discovered contactor had been sticking and caused heater kit to burn up. Diagnosis determined the following part will need to be replaced: - 15 kW Heater Kit (Part replaced under the ****** Warranty ) and the Owner swapped out the contactors as it appears they were stuck closed. This was the first issue that the customer received a labour charge for ~2 years after install) @ 286.34 (hst included).- June 20th 2023 - Owner followed up with an assessment and determined that the unit is working correctly. (Customer was satisfied with this)
- Jan 8th 2024 - Customer has issues with unit (Technician visited site for a service call and determined there was a chafed wire causing fuse to blow for control circuit.
Repaired wire and tested system. System was operating as it should. (Invoiced for labour)
- Feb 8th 2024 - Leak in refrigerant line - repaired this and unit is operating as it should.
- April 8th 2025 - Customer has concerns over how the unit is operating however refuses to pay for any service call for the technician determine what is happening. Customer stated " Where are we a year later?? after I paid the last sum of Money? What resolution did you come up with after I paid last year's ransom?
you can come if you wish, I'm not paying ahead of time. I'm not paying anymore money, I've paid enough for a lemon of a unit that has been causing me issues since 2021"- Cole Air Contracting did not ask for payment ahead of time but they require a credit card on file to book a service appointment.
- Customer had an electrician replace a burned out heater kit for him who is not an authorized service technician on these units.- Cole Air Contracting tried numerous times to get this booked in so we could come assess the unit but customer refused to provide credit card requirements for service.
From our point of view, we have done everything in our power to help this client. Each and every issue was a manufacturer issue and since we are only the installers, there is nothing we can do about that unfortunately. The warranty included upon purchase was a ****** parts warranty, not a Cole Air Contracting warranty. The customer also didn't purchase the optional labour warranty. The vast majority of our visits to the site were free of charge despite the issue being with a ****** product and not Cole Air Contracting's installation. If the issues involved were due to installer error, than ****** wouldn't cover the cost of the parts and the company would have to cover them.
The customers grievance is with the product not with the company who installed it but they are lumping the two in the same group which is unfair to the contractor who is essentially paying for the sins of others. The customer does have the option of using another authorized ****** installation company, as the warranty is with ****** and not exclusive to the installer. We strongly recommend that no further work be completed on the unit by an unauthorized trade person so as to not void the warranty.
Our recommendation is to put your credit card on file and we will come assess what is going on, but if this isn't an alternative you'd be comfortable with, then maybe another company will visit the site free of charge.
Customer Answer
Date: 29/04/2025
I am rejecting this response because:
I strongly disagree with most of what this response has to
say.
There wasn't ‘an’ issue after it
was installed. No, the correct term would be … there were a lot of issues after
the unit was installed.
There was certainly more then one singular issue.
Dec ’21 – there was a malfunctioning damper
Feb ’22 – Gas pressure issue (more on that later)
Mar ’22 – Aux. Heat issue
Apr ’22 – Aux. Heat issue
May ’22 – Control board Issue
Each time I had a certified technician in to do the work. All work was done by technicians associated past or presently with Cole Air Contracting.
May '23 - At the time they may have thought that this unit was working
correctly. I had stated all along that the spring summer months it was hard to
determine as it wasn’t until the fall/winter months when the demand was at its
peak, you would truly see how inefficient the unit was.
This went on for years with no solution. We as customers
knew there was something wrong, we could see how inefficient the unit was. We would
inform Cole Air, and they would basically say it was running correctly, and it wasn’t
an installation issue.
Feb ’24 – it was determined that the unit was not filled up
to the correct gas pressure on installation. It was pressurized to the standard
amount. However, due to the increased run of the line, we were short ~2lbs of
gas which was a considerable drop leading to the inefficiency. There was no
leak, as Cole air describes it. I was present during the leak test, I am familiar
leak testing, and I documented this with a email the following day.
The main reason I bring this up. Aside from pointing out
that my unit (installed in Jul ’21) had been operating incorrectly for ~3
years due to the installation error of Cole Air. They would claim it wasn’t
their issue. Even though I would state the opposite. They would attempt to pass blame onto anyone & anything other then themselves.
Which leads me into the latest issue I have with this unit. This
issue overlapped the low gas pressure issue, as it first occurred In May ‘23 and
that was that the heating unit would overheat and catch fire.
This happened 3 times now in less then 2 years.
May ‘23
Jan ‘24
Mar ‘25
I have documented each occurrence, and informed Cole Air
contracting. They have been less the satisfactory when dealing with this very
serious issue.
We are in a cycle now of the heater burning up, they are
billing me to come look at it. Saying it looks fine, and then it will happen
again.
As was the last problem I had with Cole Air. Just because
they are unable to diagnose a problem, doesn’t mean the problem doesn’t exist.IF THERE WASN'T A PROBLEM, MY UNIT WOULD NOT BE CATCHING FIRE.
For years I have been dealing with a company that couldn't provide a solution to their installation error. I cannot go down this road for a second time.
The fact that Cole Air Contracting cannot figure out a solution, is the reason
after many years back and forth I am demanding a full refund or replacement of this unit.Business Response
Date: 12/05/2025
Cole Air Contracting has addressed and resolved all previously reported issues with the referenced unit.
On May 6, 2024, the owner of Cole Air Contracting conducted a site visit to inspect the unit. At that time, the unit was confirmed to be operating properly and efficiently.
Moving forward, any new issues that arise with this unit will be subject to standard labour charges. The unit is operating as intended and no further repair is required at this time.
As previously mentioned, this is unit is manufactured by ******, with a 12-year parts-only warranty. Labour is not included under this warranty and was not purchased separately through Cole Air Contracting. This is a machine, with moving parts and unfortunately sometimes they need maintenance or repair. Of all the equipment we've installed, ****** has the lowest incidence rate of requiring maintenance or repair than any other brand we've worked with. Unfortunately, any machine, to no ones fault, require repair and maintenance occasionally like a car or any other home appliance does from time to time, while it is unfortunate, publicly shaming a private, local company is not the answer to the issue.
We remain available to assess any future concerns with the unit; however, as no labour warranty is in place, any service provided will be invoiced accordingly.
Initial Complaint
Date:12/06/2024
Type: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.
Cole Air installed minisplits & compressor in fall 2023. There was no consultation prior to the installation date. The installers initially intended to place the compressor in my driveway. I asked them to place it in the back, beside the deck. They said that that it needed to be placed on the deck –I wasn’t happy with this, but I wasn’t given another option.
2 problems: 1) the compressor blows air toward the backdoor, creating a draft back into the house. 2) the compressor soaks the wooden boards constantly. If/when the compressor rots out the boards, there will be no means of replacing them as it is attached to them.
I made a first phone call to request re-location, & was told there could be a charge as much as $1000. I said that I would wait to see what option there was for a new location.
I was then sent a bill for $1000 without any further consultation.
I called again & explained the problem to another employee. I then ended up on the phone with the manager. He said that they could move the compressor off the deck. I asked why I was being charged since that's what I’d initially requested.
His response was to imply that I may be lying, & then say that he would check with the installers and get back to me.
I have since heard nothing from the manager. The employee contacted to say I would be charged for re-location. I asked for an explanation & was given the manager’s email. I have emailed the manager twice, but no reply over 2 weeks. I only received an email asking for my credit card.
I’ve asked to speak with someone else. While the employee commiserated that they would also be dissatisfied with the current location, there was nothing further they could do beside refer me to the same manager.
Separately, the installers left extra materials in my backyard after completing the initial installation. I contacted Cole Air twice to come and remove them. I received a reply the first time, but no reply the 2nd time. I ended up dealing with the leftover waste myself.Business Response
Date: 20/06/2024
Good day,
Thank you for looking into this matter on behalf of us and our customer.
We consult with homeowners for placement of units on day of install when our technicians arrive to site. They walk through the installation process and make sure the homeowner is okay with where everything is being placed before they begin. This is our company protocol and is completed for every single job.
This particular house admittedly didn't have a lot of options for placement of the outside unit and the ideal location (side of house with driveway) was turned down by homeowner as it interfered with their rear yard access. Another suitable location would have been next to the deck but there was a shrub or bush in the way. On the deck was the only remaining option and the homeowner said it was okay before they proceeded and he left for work. He later returned, saw the location and did not mention an issue with it.
Realistically, the best option here is to move it for the homeowner but the fee being charged to do this service is not acceptable to the homeowner. I thought explaining what costs we incur to perform this move may help the homeowner to understand why this fee is the price that it is. We need to pay two technicians wages for a half day as well as the cost of the work vehicle to and from the work site. Once on site, they have to pump out all of the gas, move the unit, re-mount the unit, reinstall the gas and do all the pressure testing all over again. The gas is $52.50 per pound and some will need to be replaced as there is some lost in the process of removing and reinstalling the gas.
I hope this explanation helps you understand why we are charging what we charge.
Thanks,
Cole Air
Customer Answer
Date: 21/06/2024
I am rejecting this response because:
The expanation is based upon a claim about a shrub or bush in the way, which is simply untrue. I've provided pictures of the deck from both sides & the only difference in the exterior of the house is that an already-decommissioned oil pipe previously ran up the side of the house at the corner. The entire remainder of the deck was & is as shown in the images.As such, the explanation essentially clarifies the company's error. This is why I'm requesting the company move the unit at their cost.
Business Response
Date: 24/06/2024
One statement was taken from our response and deemed to determine some level of fault on our part which is not accurate, if this is how it will work then the statement we will rely on from our statement will be:
| The location was determined between installers and homeowner on day of installation. The homeowner also returned to site throughout the day and made no mention of improper placement. |
If the placement agreed upon is no longer preferable for any reason, this is not the fault of the installers rather just an unfortunate outcome from a decision made.
We've explained the breakdown of the cost to us to move these units and it is not fair to hold a contractor liable for a customer changing their mind after the fact. Our installers have a process and it was followed. They would never install somewhere that the homeowner is not okay with. They provide their recommendation, and then work with the homeowner to determine the best option of they are not okay with our recommendation.Customer Answer
Date: 25/06/2024
I am rejecting this response because:
As I've explained, I initially accepted the location because I was told that was where it needed to be. When it became clear how problematic the location was going to be, that is when I requested a move.
As I've also explained, the technicians declined to put the unit where I requested it. They insisted that placing the unit on the deck was the only option if I didn't want the unit in the driveway. Now the business is stating that they are able place the unit where I originally wanted it, but they lack any valid reason for why they insisted on the current location when they did the installation.
The business has not given a breakdown of costs. They provided a cost per pound for gas. If the implication is that the business is willing to move unit for costs alone, rather than to profit off the mistake, then they could make that clear. I was charged a flat rate of $1000 plus taxes.Initial Complaint
Date:23/08/2023
Type: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.
Installation of Mini Split (2 head mini split in main unit of home/1 head in apartment) in our home February 28, 2023 Cost of $13,571.73
Was not advised of installation process (as in material location). Was told everything was to be run through attic and into the backyard side of our home. Which I questioned to begin with making sure nothing was to be shown on the front side of the house.
Large 4' White Tube was installed and was going down the front of our home in a zig zag formation around a tree (our home is brown). Was told this could not be fixed.
Spoke with Company Owner (he came to our home) basically said we were told everything and it would be our responsibility (money wise) if we wished for it to be moved, approx. $1000 to move and another approx. $1000 for outside contractor to fix siding and holes. Money we cannot afford.
Company Owner agreed that he could see if tubing could be smaller and that he would contract someone out to paint the tubing to match our home. Someone did come to look and they managed to move the tubing a bit to go behind the tree instead of zig zag (seems like this was done only to avoid at first having to go behind the tree to begin with). But the tubing size and white color remained the same. This was in March. Nothing else has been done since.
Numerous emails and voice messages have been left with Company and company owner with no reply whatsoever from anyone as to fixing our issue. We have been waiting on this since March 2023.Business Response
Date: 31/08/2023
Good afternoon,
Our sales process is consistent at every job we quote and we have never had a complaint such as this. When we first complete our site visit, before we provide our quote, we walk the client through what locations work best for optimal performance of the equipment and how the outside unit will connect to the inside units. We then send a quote and once accepted, we schedule an install which will be completed where it was agreed upon with the homeowner. While we agree that sometimes the placement of the outside unit and the connecting ducting is not ideal in terms of curb appeal of the property, but there is installation criteria that we must adhere to and this is always communicated to the homeowner before installation commences.
We installed the unit, exactly as quoted, following all manufacturers guidelines and the system works perfectly. As far as we were concerned, we delivered exactly what was promised. The homeowner ultimately did not like how the final product appeared on the outside of the dwelling and reached out. We sent our team to modify what we could at no additional charge but there is little wiggle room in an installed system such as this. This was not enough to satisfy the homeowner, which is unfortunate but this is in no way our fault nor did we do anything outside of the agreed upon scope. Our company does not do painting work, nor did we say we'd contract a painter to paint the exterior white duct work which is the color we install at all of our jobs. We simply said that it is possible to paint if that is a road they wanted to pursue but it is not a service we provide.
The homeowner has been communicating negative disinformation in every forum that will allow them to make a post creating much distress for the business owner and the staff. This company is locally owned and operated and has been doing so without incident for over 15 years. We take customer satisfaction incredibly seriously and this has been an unfair challenge that we have had to overcome. The freedom that customers have to complain on the internet about companies like ours is immense and once comments are made, they are typically viewable forever with the business owners painted in a negative or guilty light despite there always being two sides to a story. We warned this customer that we will not tolerate this slander if they continue acting in this manner and have since advised our legal counsel to take action. We humbly request that if this response is posted publicly or this customer continues to slander our business anywhere else that our current and prospective customers give us the benefit of the doubt and we will provide hundreds of references upon request to speak with our existing clients so they can get a feel for our service level for our unbiased customer base. We will happily update BBB on the outcome of our legal processes as well.
Thank-you.
Customer Answer
Date: 14/09/2023
I am rejecting this response because: I feel that I am being mistreated by this company. I feel they are using their power by threatening my with legal action because I am voicing my opinion of my experiences with them. They are not holding up to their verbal agreement to have the tube painted and because I have no written proof I have nothing to stand on. I guess taking someone's word for it when they promise you service is in the past. I thought the owner to be a reputable person and I took his word on it without getting proper documentation.
When I walked through the house with the business owner and discussed locations of the units/systems my main concern was that nothing would be placed on the front of my home. He stated that everything would be run through my attic and out to the back of my home. Later, after the work was complete and the business owner came to my home (after numerous times reaching out to the company for someone to respond) because I was unsatisfied with the placement of the tube, he stated "where did you expect the tube to run?" I stated well I am not an installer of these systems and I had no idea that a tube would need to run down the front of my home, as, again, I was told it would run through my attic.
So the business owner did say that he would send someone out to try and move the tube so that it didn't zig zag down the front of the house and see if it was possible to make the tube smaller. He said, in the meantime, he would set it up to have it painted but that it may take a few weeks to have this done as they don't do painting and they would have to contract this work out.
As for "slander", I have not been communicating false information. I have been giving my opinion of my experience with the company. People have asked on social media who to use for installation of mini splits and I have given my advice due to my experience. Which I did once. At that time, it was advised to me by a third party that if I continued this that I would be charged with Slander. If there is an issue with how they feel I am speaking about the company then maybe they should communicate with their customers better instead of threatening law suits against them.
When you pay out over $13,000 on a product you expect better communication with the company and for the company to stand by their word when they promise services. I do not have the means to fight a company in a legal way and the company is using this as a means to keep me quiet. It is not right that I cannot voice my opinion so that others are aware that even though they may have "hundreds of references" on their services that there are some customers that unfortunately have not had a good experience with them. As well, since my own experience with this company I have come across other customers that are going though similar experiences with them. Wrongly placed products and a lack of communication with the company.
Initial Complaint
Date:28/03/2023
Type:Status:ResolvedMore 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.
On Feb 16th, when I got home from therevwas system error message on my daikin thermostat. I texted **** ******* and asked what to do. He suggested turning off and back on and that should fix the problem. I called the office the next day on Glenside advice to arrange a service call, the earliest they could get to my house was the following Friday. **** said to turn on emergency heat, so I did.
The following Friday I called the office to
Confirm my appt, guy on phone yes, they will be there by lunch time. So I took a half day off work to be hone, no one showed up. I texted **** again to ask what happened and to express my concern about using emergency heat. He never responded. I called the office, left a voice mail to ask what happened. To this day, no one has called me back.
I called hear pump solutions to ask if they could come look at my heat pump to see what was wrong. Within 2 hours, ***** ***** showed, and diagnosed my issue. The circuit board was no longer working. He ordered one, and he came to my house on March 21st to replace it, which costed me $150 for the first trip, and $600 for the circuit board. Once he got into the repair, he discovered that my heat pump was never installed correctly as they used an incorrect wire from my thermostat. It caused my heat pump to not work right from day 1, and what was quoted, it's causing the system to go haywire. This Friday, ***** ***** from heat pump solutions is coming back to install the correct wire so my heat pump will run correctly. Tonight, thermostat screen is just black, no communication and I have no heat in my home!!! This is simply not acceptable!
Cole air should be responsible for the money I have to pay to Heat Pump Solutions and a refund for not providing me with a reliable heat source in the middle of the coldest month NL has had.
And should he held accountable for using subpar material while charging exorbitant money!!Business Response
Date: 12/04/2023
We have a part ordered for this customer, and came by her home on March 30th.
Our refrigeration technician determined that there was a replacement required for a 10 kilwatt heater kit, the old kit was not operating.
Parts are still on order for this client, and she took it upon herself to call another technician, as she did not want to wait.
Please see attached document.
Customer Answer
Date: 12/04/2023
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 19865904,**** sent ******* to my house, he replaced a defective part of my heat pump. When ******* originally installed this, he set my heat pump to not work as a heat pump if temp outside was below -1. He fixed this as well and set it to -20. For the last 2 years, my heat pump has been running like an electric furnace. My daikin report tells me I burned 87% more energy in last month than the previous month. I'm still very sad about this. The whole reason foe getting this installed was to save money. Regardless, **** apologized and fixed the issue that almost caught fire with my heat pump.
He said there is no charge, so im not sure what's up with the comment and the invoice from them?
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