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Ricky Pierron has been a fixture at P&S Sales and Service since he was old enough to walk.
His father, Richard Sr., started the company over 40 years ago. A full-time employee at Texaco Oil, Richard dabbled in air conditioning work at Sears on his days off. In 1964, he decided to take the plunge and go into business for himself.
P&S Sales and Service originally operated out of a small shop across from Houma’s Department of Water Works building on Main Street. It later moved to its current location at 327 South Van Ave., where it has remained for the past 30 years.
“There weren’t that many air conditioning repair businesses at the time,” his son, Ricky, said.
P&S Sales and Service combined the talents of Richard Pierron Sr. and a partner, the “S” in the name. But the short-lived matchup lasted only a couple of months although the business name stayed the same. “When I started working for him, the P&S changed to ‘Pierron and Son’,” Ricky said.
Over the years, the business has continued to steadily grow, according to the younger Pierron. So too has the competition.
Ricky Pierron worked part-time for his father as a young boy growing up in Houma. By the time he reached South Terrebonne High School and attended the University of Southwest Louisiana, Ricky was making service calls. And after he earned a degree in mechanical engineering at age 22, he returned to Houma to work full-time for his father.
In January 2000, Richard Sr. decided to retire and sold P&S Sales and Service to his son.
Today, Ricky specializes in reliable repairs and service and quality products.
“We’re pretty much strictly Trane,” Ricky said of his product selection. The brand-maker touts the system’s reliability, comfort and 99.8 percent clean. P&S Sales and Services relies on the brand simply because it works, the business owner said.
Most items are in stock onsite, Ricky said. Special orders usually arrive within one to two days.
“We take pride in our service and take care of our customers. We may charge a little more than some, but we do first class work,” Ricky said. “That’s why we sell only Trane. We know it’s the best.”
Another service unique to P&S Sales and Service is an in-house metal shop. The company specializes in doing all of its own duct and sheet metal work, he said.
“Most shops don’t do all their own metal work. That type of work is generally sub-contracted out to another business,” Ricky said. “But we have all the in-house capabilities to do all of it. That sets us apart.”
P&S Services and Sales covers all of Terrebonne Parish and parts of neighboring Lafourche.
“Most days, we offer same-day service,” Ricky said. “Certainly in the summer or the roughest part of winter we’ll work to get to customers as quickly as possible. It just depends on how much of a backlog and what type of work we have. Now, if someone is out of air, I’ll put them ahead of other jobs. I work them in because they don’t want to wait a couple of weeks for air conditioning.”
Ricky said his company is faced with the same issues most area employers are battling post-Katrina: A shortage of qualified workers.
It’s an issue homeowners should also consider when hiring a company to perform repairs, he said.
“A lot of people doing business these days aren’t licensed,” he said. “Especially this time of the year you have people working with gas and that’s dangerous. A lot of companies are actually not qualified to do the work but they do anyway because there is no licensing and inspection for that work in this area. It could be a real problem if the heat is not installed right.”
In addition to holding a state contractor license, P&S Sales and Service is certified to work with gas products, Ricky said.
The company also offers an annual service agreement that includes fall and spring checkups on air conditioning and heating systems yearly. “It also entitles customers to a 10 percent discount on parts,” he said.
P&S Sales and Service is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and provides 24-hour service calls.
Owner: Ricky Pierron
Address: 327 South Van Ave., Houma
Phone: (985) 872-5722
Staff: 10 employees
Services: Reliable air conditioning and heating system repairs and service. Handles Trane products. Onsite metal shop.
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 24-hour emergency service calls.
