**Pre-sale Experience:**
About two months ago, I came across ECOstar's ad for a heat pump in the newspaper, piquing my curiosity. Despite it being the holiday season, I reached out and was pleasantly surprised when Jimmy, their sales representative, promptly responded.
I normally do not like to deal with salesperson for any longer than necessary. Jimmy gave me an impression; instead of pushing a sale, he took the time to educate me on the entire purchase and rebate process, the price, and the product specifications. We were on the phone for more than 30 minutes. His dedication was evident as he visited my home the next day to provide a more accurate assessment and personalized quote. It was supposed to be a short visit, but it ended up almost 45 minutes as he explained more about how things would be done, what the price covered, and warranty details. I liked the fact that he spent time explaining rather than selling. Thats why I felt comfortable talking to him, and I specifically asked him that day, if I have issues with the products in the future, can I directly contact you rather than technical support? He promised yes and gave me 2 of his cell phone numbers and email. I almost decided to buy from him solely because of this promise. He also invited me to visit his office to understand the scale of their business. He prepared a quote for me online listing a MOOVAIR heat pump and the promises he gave verbally. I visited his office, and he even gave me a slightly better price. I wanted to compare among a few other companies. So I did not sign any contract with Jimmy that day yet. A week after, I did go back to Jimmy. But instead of signing the contract, I wanted to add a new furnace into the deal. So we again talked for more than half an hour!!! He gave me the price and different models to consider. I remember we exchanged some texts and a couple more short phone calls afterwards. I finally signed a contract with Jimmy in the 2nd week of Jan. The contract has all the terms and promises written down, including extended warranty and govt heat pump rebate and manufacturer gas furnace rebate guarantee. And he quickly made an installation booking which was the week after. He knew I was a detail-oriented customer. He specifically booked one of the best installation teams he has to do my installation. Jimmy was passionate and proud of his job. I emphasized to him that he did not offer me the best price among other companies. But I like his exceptional service and passion for his work. So I decided to hire ECOstar. Later he revealed that he was actually one of the company shareholders. That explains why. :-)
The installation date had to be postponed twice, unfortunately. It is nobodys fault though. The first time due to extreme cold weather. The forecast was -16C, and I did not want to lose heat the whole day during the installation. So we rescheduled. The second delay was caused by the policy change of the govt heat pump rebate program. It was 10 pm at night. Jimmy called me to notify me about the sudden surprise govt policy change on the rebate reprogram. At that time, he was still positive there was no need to reschedule or cancel the order. However, he called me again the day before the scheduled installation that another delay is unavoidable. The installation date was pushed to the beginning of Feb. On the other hand, I had trouble contacting an energy auditor with Canada Energy Audit. They did not answer or reply to emails. Jimmy helped me to connect with them twice through their private channels. I was lucky to have Jimmy to keep me up to date so I do not miss out on the govt rebate.
**Installation:**
While the installation encountered a couple of unavoidable delays, the process was efficient overall. The team of technicians demonstrated professionalism and expertise, completing the installation swiftly and with minimal disruption. Three technicians came at 9:45 am. They were all gone by 2:45 pm. The work includes replacing my old gas furnace with a 2-stage gas furnace. Replace my old thermostat and control wires with an ECObee 3 lite. Replace all air duct works with PVC pipes. Install a new MOOVAIR case coil on top of the furnace and a new installation of a 2-ton heat pump compressor on a new floor stand. They also need to modify my main electricity panel and add copper hoses to the outdoor from the basement. It was amazing they had all these work completed in 5 hrs.
I assumed the installer would be responsible for building a platform to secure the heat pump outdoor unit. So I spent hours lifting all my concrete tiles to expose the soil the day before installation. I thought I was helping. The team leader Jason said it was gardening work. But he still helped me to level the soil and put back the concrete tiles. At the end, the heat pump stand was put on my original 2 big concrete tiles.
The workmanship was satisfactory, though I would not say it was above expectation. Jason briefly tested all units all work before they left. If I have to find minor areas for improvement in workmanship, I would like to see the pipes be more horizontal; the aluminum foil tapes seal gaps better; and better sealing on the new hole that was drilled through the house for the copper pipes; lastly, I wish they would notify me after they cut my home alarm wires. That would save me time and money when I found my home alarm not working that evening just before bedtime.
I was given all the manuals after the install. I am an engineer myself. I did spend a few days to read and understand most of it. Because I expected this upgrade to allow me to control 2-stage heating and cooling. And yet I dont see that option in the Ecobee thermostat. I checked the thermostat wiring and found some missing wires as recommended in the manual. I contacted Jason. He explained residential installation is always done 1 stage heating and 1 stage cooling in the thermostat. Only business installation would make use of the 2 stage features in the thermostat. Nevertheless, he said the furnace and heat pump will automatically switch between stages without the thermostat telling them. It is all automatic.
**After Sale Service:**
I had questions all the time, including the time when I found discrepancies between whats recommended in the user/installation manual and whats actually done by the installers. Hans was very patient explaining to answer my questions. He called me back to address my concern about the discrepancy of the compressor connection in the user manual (missing R connection to the heat pump compressor). He explained why there was a missing R connection and that it was not an issue.
On another inquiry, Wilson from customer service called me back to explain why the STAGING jumper position in the furnace was incorrect and offered an immediate service call. He also explained why the installer did not connect W2 and Y2 to the ECObee thermostat. My initial assumption was that there would be 8 wires for the EcoBee thermostat to control the staging of the furnace and heat pump. Only 6 wires were installed. After discussing with Wilson and the technician. I was convinced that it was not absolutely necessary for the thermostat to control the staging. I was quoted there would be an extra cost of $300 to upgrade to 8 wires in the future.
The user manuals say user must register within 90 days or warranty would be lost. I asked Wilson. He said ECOStar would handle all product registration and that they had a team to do just that. Extended warranty will be registered. He assures me that if I do not get my extended warranty because they forget to register, ECOstar will provide the same warranty.
Although both Wilson and the installer Jason do not see the need to add screws to secure the heat pump floor stand to the ground. Jason offered to shoot some concrete nails to secure the stand. But I worried that the nails would crack the tiles altogether. Instead, he brought me 4 screws just in case I find the heat pump unstable in the future. So I could drill onto the ground and add the screws myself to secure the heat pump.
There is also a person who I do not know the name. He/she replies to text messaging and directs my inquiry to the appropriate team quickly.
Hans and Wilson from ECOstar's customer service team were incredibly patient and responsive, promptly addressing my concerns and providing clear explanations. I am satisfied with all these staff who actually care to make an effort to help out. Good after-sale support so far!
**Overall Impression:**
In summary, my experience with ECOstar has been overwhelmingly positive. From the initial consultation with Jimmy to the installation process and after-sale support, the company has consistently demonstrated a commitment to customer satisfaction and quality service. While there were some minor hiccups along the way, the professionalism and dedication of the team ensured that any issues were promptly addressed and resolved. I would not hesitate to recommend ECOstar to others.
