JED Heating & Cooling has been servicing Mon Valley for more than four decades
Veteran Austin Large and his wife, Kathleen, are shown at left in December 202 with representatives from JED Heating & Cooling in Donora, from left, Arnold Santavicca, Joe Waters and Jim DeLattre.
JED Heating & Cooling is a family affair for Jim, left, and Rick DeLattre.
By Francesca Sacco
JED Heating & Cooling has been providing HVAC services to the Mon Valley for the last 42 years.
The Donora-based company was started by James “Jim” DeLattre in 1979 after he realized there was need for residential HVAC service in the area.
“You could find companies that focused on both residential and commercial, but no one specialized in residential services,” said DeLattre, owner and president of JED.
DeLattre’s father, Eugene, introduced him to the air-conditioning business. Eugene was one of the first contractors to bring air conditioning to the Mon Valley in 1952.
“Air conditioning was just starting to emerge. Few people had them at that point, He got a railcar of air conditioners to the valley. He sold and installed them,” DeLattre said. “You can say our family helped to bring air conditioning to the Mon Valley.”
Now, three generations of the DeLattre family work at JED. James’ son, Richard “Rick” is the vice president and sales manager. Richard’s wife, Janice, and daughter, Taylor, work in the office.
“We’re family-owned and operated,” DeLattre said.
DeLattre said his team is able to address their customers’ needs quickly and efficiently.
“We’re able to satisfy our customers’ needs with service breakdowns, maintenance and 24/7 emergency services,” he said. “We’ve got a quick turnaround with five service technicians working around the clock.”
JED Heating & Cooling, 840 McKean Ave., offers residential and commercial heating and air conditioning; hot-water heating; geo-thermal; heat pumps and air purification. Popular items include ductless heating and cooling and the REME HALO® air purification system, which kills viruses and bacteria in the air. Warranties and financing options are available. JED services all HVAC equipment regardless of the brand.
DeLattre said his company is able to design and install custom duct work to meet individual customers’ needs.
“We can get you the exact equipment you need designed for your particular home,” he said.
Their 18,000-sqaure-foot warehouse is always stocked, allowing the business to eliminate wait times for new installations and repairs.
“We can meet the customer’s needs year-round. We get there as quick as possible,” DeLattre said. “We fabricate our own sheet metal when many companies have to farm it out. So we’re able to create custom-fit sheet metal for projects. People want to see a nice, neat job. They don’t want to see a bunch of tape.”
JED also offers yearly maintenance packages to help keep customers’ HVAC systems operating safely and without interruption.
“We’re able to maintain your equipment in an efficient manner over the course of the year,” DeLattre said. “We come out in the spring and check your air conditioning and we come out in the fall and check your furnace.”
Regular maintenance keeps equipment clean and ensures customers are staying ahead of any issues.
“Problems can be caught quicker with repetitive maintenance,” he said. “There’s less chance of a breakdown. When people let them go, it often turns into a major expense.”
DeLattre said his business has grown in recent years. When he started JED in the late 70s, he had five employees. Now, he has 20.
“Many of them have been with me for a number of years. Some of my guys have been with me over 30 years,” he said. “We take care of our people. The good thing about experienced people is that they get the job done right.”
When Richard joined the business in the early 90s, DeLattre said he began to expand JED’s service territory.
“With the two of us, we can handle more territory,” he said. “Rick came up through the ranks. He started as an installer and then moved to technician, and then into business management and sales. He really made an effort to grow this business.”
Now, JED has expanded across Southwestern Pennsylvania.
“It’s worked out quite well,” DeLattre said. “We’ve grown considerably and have a lot of repeat customers. We have people that have been with us 15 or more years.”
For DeLattre, keeping his customers and the community in high regards is important. So when he has an opportunity to donate his services, he’s more than happy to do so.
Last year, DeLattre partnered with Trane to provide a local family with a new furnace at no cost.
“Trane helped us. They gave us the furnace, and we did the installation,” he said. “It was a gigantic Christmas present for the family.”
JED also partners with a state program to help families in region who need heat.
“We don’t want to see a person without heat,” DeLattre said. “We are willing and want to help out.”