jd

I had just bought a new washer and dryer from Universal Appliances, Ottawa, in October 2017, and the retailer had first recommended and then arranged for the installation of the new machines by Service Ruel. Claude Ruel, the owner of the business, came and did the installation himself. As he told me, he has been in the business for many years and it shows: prompt, thoroughly professional and efficient. He took the time and effort to go over the operation of the machines, and ran them through a cycle to ensure everything was working. The installation wasn’t quite a standard one, as there was an issue with the existing dryer vent. Claude successfully solved it (it required creating a conduit through drywall to allow the dryer house to reach the vent), and did so at no extra charge. If you require appliance installation, I highly recommend Service Ruel.

My ~20-year old washer and dryer were giving out, so in October 2017 I went on the hunt for a new laundry pair. I had done my due diligence online—reading reviews and comparing the major brands and models out there, settling on an Electrolux pair. I had a hunch that going to a locally owned appliance store would be a more satisfying experience than buying online or at one of the big box stores. The main problem with the large stores, from my experience, is that the sales personnel are not particularly knowledgable about the products they sell. A couple of the other local appliance stores didn’t carry the particular models I was interested in, so I settled on Universal Appliances The sales person, Tyler, was excellent: knowledgable, and personable. He explained in detail the features of the machines and, even though I had decided on the models, he made sure I was aware of alternatives. He arranged on the spot for delivery, and installation, and the removal of the old machines. I was up and running with the new machines three days after visiting the store. Universal Appliances is a locally (Ottawa) owned appliance retail store and, on the basis of this experience, I highly recommend them.

Protech garage doors It happened at the worst possible time. My 25+ year old garage door opener finally died, with the door stuck open. It was a Friday night, bitterly cold (-21 Celsius) and with a winter storm warning posted by Environment Canada. I called, expecting to have to wait until the following week. Not so. Even though it was after hours on Friday, my service call was answered on the second ring and, less than 21 hours later, a new garage door opener had been installed, calibrated and working perfectly. (The previous one was, at more than 25 years, was too old to repair -- parts no longer available.) Despite the bitter cold, the technician was friendly, knowledgable, efficient, and took the time to explain available options. As well as installing the new opener unit, he serviced and lubricated the rest of the mechanism, including tracks, brackets and rollers. He gave me a thorough rundown of the features and operation of the new mechanism, as well as a mini course on maintenance. In all, just excellent, 10-star service!