Just because Kevin Coleman grew up on his grandfather’s farm doesn’t mean he lacked the audacity to dream dreams and the ambition to make them a reality. That occurred four years ago, when the boy from Columbia, Del., sired his entrepreneurial offspring, Coastal Comfort. Today, when Coleman looks back on his life, he knows he made the right decision.

“I’d been working for a hardware/farm-and-garden center about 25 years ago,” Coleman recalled, reclining in his home office on the second floor. “The work was fine, but I’d been looking for something where I could apply my technical skills. That’s when I got a call to work as a helper for an HVAC company.

“I spent the next 20 years in the industry, working for someone else, learning everything I could,” Coleman continued, “but there was something missing. I could do the work, but I couldn’t call the shots; I couldn’t actually shape the direction of a company, establish a reputation within a community and work to perpetuate that.”

Since Coleman is not one to let much get in his way, the result was Coastal Comfort, which he founded at the start of 2005. And while the response has been more than favorable, Coleman is not without his laments.

“At this point, my only regret is that I didn’t do this sooner,” he confessed. “But I am very pleased and grateful for the way things are going — and we’re not going to rest until we have the best reputation in the area.”

There are several keys to establishing such a reputation, albeit none more important than the products one puts his name behind. That’s why even though they represent and service all major brands, Coastal Comfort is a “Certified Comfort Expert” for the venerable York company, the nation’s oldest independent manufacturer of heating and air-conditioning equipment.

“What I really like about York,” Coleman explained, “is their technical and factory support. They really stand behind their product and go the extra mile.”

In fact, the Hebron, Md., resident and father of four went on to say that if a York customer is for any reason dissatisfied with one of its products, York will send a factory-authorized dealer to that customer to resolve the problem free of charge. No doubt that’s one big reason why York boasts the famous Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, an American icon of quality assurance for 100 years.

Coleman is equally proud of the high-efficiency energy products that York has to offer, including gas furnaces with an efficiency rating of 98 percent and 18-SEER-rated heating equipment for which York, as of March 1st, is offering an amazing $1,700 rebate, which, in this economy, couldn’t possibly come along at a better time.

Just as hot these days are the increasingly popular geothermal systems, by companies like ClimateMaster, which Coastal Comfort is proud to represent. These ingenious systems use the natural heat-storage ability of the earth and/or groundwater to heat and cool your home via an electrically powered ground-source heat pump.

But since HVAC equipment isn’t exactly a do-it-yourself proposition, achieving year-round comfort and peace of mind in your home ultimately come down to the people doing the work, and that’s where Coleman — who says he still makes service calls on a regular basis — thinks his company shines brightest of all.

“Coastal Comfort is privileged to have not only some of the best field technicians in this region but some of the best field technicians I’ve seen in my 25 years in the industry,” Coleman exclaimed with pride. “It’s largely because of them that we can afford to launch the ‘Coastal Courtesy’ customer service promise.”

“Coastal Courtesy,” is more than just a slogan. It’s a concept that represents what Coleman intends to be the hallmark of his company. First, it is a promise of the friendly and considerate treatment of all his customers by his staff. Second, it is the ability to speak directly with a field technician whenever you call. And finally, it is the assurance of an industry-leading quick-response time whenever you are either out in the cold or caught between a rock and a hot place.

“We strive for same-day service 100 percent of the time,” Coleman declared. “Now, that’s obviously gonna be a little tougher on the first hot day in June, but we feel better equipped to meet that challenge than anyone else in the area.”

Coleman, meanwhile, makes sure he backs that challenge with his company’s one-year warranty on workmanship, and he strongly encourages new and existing customers to inquire about the service plans Coastal Comfort offers.

“We feel that we form a kind of marriage with our customers,” Coleman opined, “in that we consciously cultivate a long-term quality relationship based on trust and loyalty. And that’s the way it should be.”

Coastal Comfort Heating and Air Conditioning, Hebron, Md.,
410-742-1435,
www.coastalcomfort.com