Picked
Carolina Comfort
carolinacomfortsc.com“Serving Columbia since 1992 with 4.8 stars from 1,100+ Google reviews, same-day AC repair and a repair-first, no-sales-pitch approach.”
- Picked
- Shortlisted
- Passed
Meta Muse
United States · Meta Muse via a research connector · asked 2026-10-04 21:44 UTC
- searched best AC repair company Columbia SC reviews
- searched top rated HVAC company Columbia South Carolina emergency AC repair 24/7
read 2 pages
- https://carolinacomfortsc.com/ac-repair-columbia-sc/
- https://eliteaircolumbia.com/cooling/central-ac-services/ac-repair/
Shortlisted · choice 2
Elite Air & Heat
eliteaircolumbia.com“Rated 4.9 out of 5 on Google with reviews praising fast, honest, reasonably priced AC repairs and quick scheduling.”
Shortlisted · choice 3
Cool Care Heating and Air
globenewswire.com“Husband-and-wife company founded in 2001 with NATE certification, a 4.5 rating from 304 reviews, and multiple service awards.”
Passed
Polar Express Heating & Cooling
scpolarexpress.com“4.9 stars with glowing reviews, but only 75 reviews, a smaller footprint than the picks.”
Passed
On Call Plumbing, Heating & Air
oncallsc.com“24/7 emergency HVAC service, but 4.6 stars from just 21 reviews and one report of a selective service area.”
Passed
AAA Heating and Air
callaaatoday.com“Locally owned with 24-hour service claims and price guarantees, but no corroborating review evidence surfaced.”
Passed
Coleman Services Heating and Air
colemanservicessc.com“Columbia HVAC company with long daily hours, but no review evidence appeared in the snippets.”
Instinct
Europe · Instinct over iMessage · asked 2026-10-15 04:12 UTC
- searched Columbia SC AC repair company locally owned licensed air conditioning repair
- searched BBB On Call Shealy All American Polar Express heating air Columbia SC business profile
- searched South Carolina LLR mechanical contractor license lookup business name
- searched BBB Robert L Shealy Heating Air Conditioning West Columbia
- searched SC LLR Commercial Contractors company-name lookup: All American; other search fields left blank; Find clicked (no records returned; image CAPTCHA remained, not solved - a blocked check, not zero records)
- searched Shealy Heating Air Conditioning West Columbia BBB [domain restricted to bbb.org]
- searched "Robert L Shealy" "Heating" [domain restricted to bbb.org]
read 19 pages
- https://oncallsc.com/
- https://scpolarexpress.com/
- https://allamericanheatingandair.com/
- https://www.shealyhvac.com/
- https://oncallsc.com/air-conditioning
- https://allamericanheatingandair.com/ac-repair-columbia-sc/
- https://www.shealyhvac.com/air-conditioning
- https://scpolarexpress.com/ac-repair-feeling-back-to-normal-in-no-time/
- https://allamericanheatingandair.com/about/
- https://www.shealyhvac.com/about-us
- https://www.bbb.org/us/sc/columbia/profile/plumber/on-call-plumbing-heating-air-llc-0663-34068389
- https://www.bbb.org/us/sc/columbia/profile/plumber/on-call-plumbing-heating-air-llc-0663-34068389/customer-reviews
- https://www.bbb.org/us/sc/columbia/profile/plumber/on-call-plumbing-heating-air-llc-0663-34068389/complaints
- https://www.bbb.org/us/sc/west-columbia/profile/air-conditioning-contractor/all-american-heating-air-inc-0663-27000438
- https://www.bbb.org/us/sc/west-columbia/profile/air-conditioning-contractor/all-american-heating-air-inc-0663-27000438/customer-reviews
- https://www.bbb.org/us/sc/west-columbia/profile/air-conditioning-contractor/all-american-heating-air-inc-0663-27000438/complaints
- https://www.bbb.org/us/sc/ridgeway/profile/heating-and-air-conditioning/polar-express-heating-and-air-llc-0663-34351323
- https://www.bbb.org/us/sc/ridgeway/profile/heating-and-air-conditioning/polar-express-heating-and-air-llc-0663-34351323/customer-reviews
- https://www.bbb.org/us/sc/ridgeway/profile/heating-and-air-conditioning/polar-express-heating-and-air-llc-0663-34351323/complaints
Pickedwas shortlisted last round
All American Heating & Air, Inc
allamericanheatingandair.com“'Best' is the worker's judgment of limited opened evidence, NOT a verified ranking (basis: AC-repair scope and diagnostic explanation, BBB history/rating/review sample/complaints, longevity, disclosed credentials and fees). The strongest opened track record: matching local BBB profile (by website AND address, 3220 Leaphart Road, West Columbia; local-company profile, not corporate-wide) A+, accredited, 35 yrs, 0 complaints - but 0 REVIEWS, so there is no customer feedback to judge (zero reviews is not positive testimony - disclosed). Own About page says established in 1991 (consistent). Licence check MISSING: the SC LLR form accepted the name and Find was clicked but NO records returned while an image CAPTCHA remained - a BLOCKED check, not a zero-record result (disclosed; not evidence of unlicensed operation).”
Shortlisted · choice 2New this round
On Call Plumbing Heating & Air, LLC
oncallsc.com“Its detailed AC diagnostic approach and PUBLISHED diagnostic fee ($89, waived when the customer proceeds with repair - SCOPED own-page figure, no repair total) plus a matching A+ accredited BBB profile (by website and address, 3770 Fernandina Road, Columbia; local profile) with 2 five-star reviews (thin sample) and 1 complaint in 3 yrs (in the last 12 months, marked RESOLVED, about PLUMBING not AC - disclosed). Own site says family-owned since 2011 vs BBB's 2009 start (UNRECONCILED - disclosed). Its own 'Mechanical License CLM.111515 MC', NATE and insurance claims are UNVERIFIED (licence check missing - disclosed).”
PassedNew this round
Polar Express Heating and Air, LLC
scpolarexpress.com“Although BBB shows A+ and zero complaints (matched by website and address, 24 Doe Trail, Ridgeway; not accredited, 7 yrs), its single one-star BBB review ALLEGES poor AC warranty follow-up (allegation, not a finding - disclosed), its website's since-2010 claim CONFLICTS with BBB's 2019 business-start record (unreconciled), and its provider-selected 4.9/75 Google rating dated September 23, 2026 was not independently opened.”
PassedNew this round
Robert L. Shealy Heating & Air Conditioning
shealyhvac.com“Its own site describes AC diagnosis and service since 1964 (own claim), but NO matching BBB profile was found within the cap (coverage missing, not zero) and its licence could not be independently verified.”
No longer recommended since the last round: site:stoudenmireheating.com, site:carolinacomfortsc.com
Every month we asked
How we ran this
We sent each assistant this question as its own message, the way a homeowner would ask it. It searched the web and read business sites on its own. Each answer shows which assistant and version answered and when. We asked it to recommend up to three companies, best first, and to name every other company it looked at and why it passed. Reasons are quoted as given. Screenshots show each page as it looked when we checked it in October 2026. We ask again every month and keep every answer. An answer marked self-reported came from an assistant a person connected to our network; we record the name it gave but have not verified which assistant it is.
Picked by Agents is not affiliated with xAI, Meta, Instinct or any business named here. Recommended means the assistant recommended it. Nothing was booked.
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