Wilson Plumbing & Heating, Inc. Earns Coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award

Award reflects businesses’ consistently high level of customer service

Wilson Plumbing & Heating, Inc. has been awarded the prestigious 2011 Angie’s List Super Service Award, an honor bestowed annually on approximately 5 percent of all the businesses rated on the nation’s leading provider of consumer reviews on local service and health providers.

“Only a fraction of the businesses rated on Angie’s List can claim the sterling service record of being a Super Service Award winner because we set a high bar,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “The fact that Wilson Plumbing & Heating can claim Super Service Award status speaks volumes about its dedication to consumers.”

Angie’s List Super Service Award winners have met strict eligibility requirements including earning a minimum number of reports, an exemplary rating from their clients and abiding by Angie’s List operational guidelines.

Ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List, but members can find the 2011 Super Service Award logo next to business names in search results on AngiesList.com.

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Angie’s List collects consumer reviews on local contractors and doctors in more than 500 service categories. Currently, more than 2 million consumers across the U.S. rely on Angie’s List to help them make the best hiring decisions. Members get unlimited access to local ratings via Internet or phone, exclusive discounts, the Angie’s List magazine and help from the Angie’s List complaint resolution service. Take a quick tour of Angie’s List and view the latest Angie’s List news.

Original installations from the 1920’s and 30’s normally operated as designed and were mechanically attractive. Many of those installations, which were usually coal boilers converted to gas, lasted well into the 1960’s. When they wore out, that’s when a lot of problems began. Many installers were not paying attention to the manuals that came with the boilers, and not properly trained in boiler techniques. They were warm air furnace installers and figured they could install a steam boiler, as well. After all, if you’re in the heating business you should be able to install a furnace or a boiler, right? There can’t be that much difference between heating water or air, you say? Wrong on both counts! And if you make the mistake of hiring the wrong contractor you’ll soon find out that there is a big difference.

When you go to choose a boiler contractor, do your homework! Every heating contractor is not a boiler specialist, and many companies that advertise boiler work lack the degree of competence required to perform the work correctly.

Where to start:

1. Call your local boiler distributor/ wholesaler/ manufacturer or visit their website. Ask them who is the most competent contractor in the Akron area to service and install boilers.
2. Akron is truly “boiler country”—some neighborhoods in West Akron, Fairlawn, Goodyear Heights and Firestone Park are blessed abundant with boilers. Ask your neighbors for a reference.
3. Check your local BBB, Angie’s List and other sources who rate contractors.
4. Don’t hesitate to ask contractors for plenty of references when getting quotes. Experienced contractors should have hundreds of installations in homes, schools, churches, and apartment buildings under their belts, and should be able to provide you with many references.
5. In reviewing bids, price is important. But quality and knowledge of correct service and installation techniques are more important. When comparing bids, significant dollar differences don’t occur because one company simply charges more. More often than not, something of importance has been neglected and/or not included in a lower bid. Thoroughly review the work list and materials being used. Ask questions when your bids are significantly different.

Steam heating is a specialty field. The Akron area, for example, has only one third generation residential boiler contractor that specializes in steam boilers. Among the dozens of heating contractors, Wilson Plumbing & Heating Inc. has the credentials to back up our claim on the title “Boiler People.” We have serviced and installed thousands of boilers in the Akron area over the last 50-some years.

References from residences, churches, and apartment building owners regarding the quality of our work, the competence of our technicians, as well as the personal care and concern that we put into every job are available upon request.

Good luck!

Paul Wilson is the owner of Wilson Plumbing & Heating, Inc., a 50-year-old third-generation company that specializes in the installation, service and repair of steam and hot water heating systems.

Great article, some tips and “normal” things that people do that probably aren’t the greatest idea!

Wish we had written it, actually!

A boilerman “thinks” steam.  He dreams about boilers at night.  He reads and studies steam boiler articles and magazines.  If not for his wife, finely matted and framed pictures of vintage Weil McLain, American Standard and American Radiator boilers would grace the walls of his living room.

A real boilerman has a passion about what he does for a living.  He can walk into a building or home he has never been in before, stroll through the basement, his eyes measuring the “A” dimension height from the water line of the boiler to the end of the steam main.  He sees the missing main line air vents, the header which is not built high enough from the boiler water line, the wet return line that the last mechanic failed to lower when the boiler was installed.

He will turn to the frustrated homeowners, saying “and how long does it take after the gas starts on the boiler for the system to sound like five M-105 Howitzer cannons are exploding in your basement?”  To which they incredulously respond, “How did you know?  You’ve never even been here before.”

And with a nonchalant, knowing glance around the room with all its problems, he simply says “I just know Ma’am, I’m a boilerman.  I’ve been doing this for 45 years, I just know!”

“But can you fix it?” they cry.   “We can’t take it any more.  Every night it wakes us up!  In fact, last night it hit 4.5 on the Richter scale.  Can you fix it?  We’ve tried everything!  We’ve had four other companies try to fix it and it’s still the same!”  “Yes folks, I can fix it.  You’re in good hands.”  And a collective sigh of relief falls over the boiler room.

Folks, this is the man you want.  This is the guy you want working on your steam heating system.  When you find him, don’t let him go.  Offer him the guest bedroom in your house.  At the least, get his name, address, cell phone number, license plate number, e-mail address, Facebook page and whatever else he has so you can get him when you need him.  There aren’t many like him around any more.  He’s a boilerman.  He wants to work on your steam system and get it working the way it was designed 80 years ago.  You can reach him at paul@boilerpeople.com.  He’ll be right over!

Paul Wilson is the president of Wilson Plumbing & Heating, Inc. in Akron, Ohio. You can reach him at Paul@BoilerPeople.com