It all started one bone-chilling February day in North Dakota. Jim Hopkins had recently attended a trade school where he found his passion for heating and cooling, and he was at home during spring break. The temperature outside that day was -40 °F, and he was freezing. Fast forward a few days later, Jim found himself in a much warmer climate. He had arrived in our beautiful Valley on a balmy 70-degree day. As you can imagine, this was a drastic thermal change, and it did not take Jim long to fall in love with Grand Junction’s much warmer temperatures. One day, as Jim was rounding a corner in Palisade, he laid his eyes on the stunning fully bloomed apricot trees. At that moment, Jim felt like he found his paradise and the place he wanted to call home. Another benefit to Grand Junction was the small-town feel that comes along with it. Being from a small town in North Dakota, Jim wanted to ensure that the town he lived in had the same quaint feel, and was a safe place to raise his family. Lucky for us, Jim decided to stick around and has been serving our community ever since.
Upon moving here, Jim took a job with a small refrigeration company. As a young service tech, Jim got a lot of gratification in repairing equipment and machinery, that other technicians here in the Valley were not able to fix. It was not long before he had the reputation as the one person in the Valley who could fix the equipment and get the job done right.
Three years later, he received a job offer to begin working with the Haining family, and from there, the rest is history. Once Jim was on board on this new venture with the Haining family, the business began to grow at a rapid pace. Because of this, they decided to divide the company into two separate divisions. Haining now had an air side of the company and a plumbing side. Haining Plumbing & Heating was expanding, and there was nowhere to go but up! Jim and Ken Haining ran the heating & refrigeration side of the company successfully for 19 years together, at which time Ken decided to leave the company, and Jim was able to step up and take over the business. Jim had always dreamed about being self-employed, so this was a great opportunity for him and his family. Upon purchasing the air side of the company, Jim changed the name to Airtech. A few years after acquiring Airtech, Jim was able to expand his business further when the Blevins family, the current owners of the plumbing side of Haining, were ready to hang up their hats and retire as well. This allowed Jim to also step into that division of the business and begin his new adventure as the owner of both entities.
Since procuring both businesses, Jim has also brought his family on board. When you visit what is now Haining Home Services & Airtech you not only get Jim, but you also get his family, and I can attest that it is truly a great atmosphere to be in.
In his effort to make Haining Home Services & Airtech number one, Jim decided that he needed to be able to ensure that all of his employees were fully trained with all of the latest and greatest technology and information. According to Jim’s son, Richard, when hiring, they of course look for skills and talents, but also work ethic, and they make sure that those they hire are people they can trust. In fact, when you contract Haining Home Services & Airtech for any of your HVAC or plumbing needs, you can rest assured that you are getting someone in your home who is fully knowledgeable in the service you are requiring. The Haining team also finds it important to take 3 days each week to devote to training and building up the skills of all of their employees. No matter how long they have been with the company, they understand the importance of continuing their education and are proud to do so in house.
From the beginning, Jim and his family have done their best to make sure that they have 100% customer satisfaction. This has led to a lot of word of mouth, along with repeat customers that they have had for generations! With a company like this, it is no surprise that their company’s mission statement is, “Making the community a better place every day.” This ensures that the company always puts you first. According to Jim’s daughter, Melissa, their daily goal is to make sure that you are getting the services you want and deserve. By training up their employees properly, you can rest assured that they will verify your equipment is safe and efficient, they will not try to sell you something you don’t need, and they are trained to give you accurate information to help you maintain your systems.
During the interview, Richard, also touched on their multi-division service company and everything they offer. With Haining, you can find full heating, cooling, and plumbing services. They specialize in installation and repair, and they also offer design and engineering. All employees are fully licensed with the State of Colorado or they are North American Technician Excellence (NATE) certified. Since these are yearly certifications, it ensures that the employees stay up to date with all aspects of their field.
As most of you know, owning a home has a lot of advantages. But it can have a lot of disadvantages too. There is a lot of maintenance and upkeep when you are a homeowner. One way that Haining Home Services & Airtech is there to help you out, is with their members-only Comfort Club. When you register to become a member of their Comfort Club, you will receive free Spring & Fall services on your equipment. You will also get priority in scheduling, lower diagnostics fees as well as discount pricing on repairs.
As my interview was wrapping up, we started to talk about Covid-19. I think it is hard to go anywhere nowadays, without that subject being brought up, but I am sure glad that it was. Jim and his family talked to me about how blessed they were to be an essential service and how honored they are to be able to serve you through everything that has been going on with this pandemic. With the virus running rampant right now, you might have seen a thing or two on the news, or you may have read a recent article on the importance of indoor air quality. Haining Home Services & Airtech is proud to say that they have many products that can help keep your home safe with their ventilation systems, filtration systems, and appliances that will aid in killing the virus in the air and on surfaces. If this is something you are interested in adding to your systems in your home, then be sure to give them a call!
I really enjoyed my time with the Hopkins family. I appreciated hearing about their love for what they do, as well as their love for our community. In just a short time with them, I can attest to how well they know this business and how to better care for your HVAC & plumbing needs.