HVAC units are a critical part of any building, providing cooling and dehumidification during the hot days of the year, warmth on the cold ones, and protection against mold growth all year. Teaneck-based HVAC READY LLC offers an array of services related to cooling, heating and air purification. Its principals have a deep understanding of HVAC equipment in general, not only the units they service. Their repairs, maintenance and installations are efficient and orderly.
“We’re a Shomer Shabbos small business that does residential and light commercial work for homeowners and business owners, including a number of landlords,” co-owner Mayer Fertig explained to The Jewish Link. “Doing right by our customers and offering excellent customer service are our absolute priorities. Every time we service a unit, we offer options and candid recommendations. Our process is geared towards the best possible outcome for our customers.”
Created in 2021 by Fertig and his business partner, the company focuses on northern and central New Jersey.
“We got started during COVID,” Fertig said. “The origins of the business are a great hashgacha pratis story that we’re always happy to share. My business partner and our associates have several dozen years of experience in the HVAC industry between them. He’s a real mensch who prefers to work behind the scenes. When you hire us, be assured you’re receiving the highest quality work, provided with an eye toward a long relationship.”
Fertig came to HVAC after an extensive career in journalism and as a senior nonprofit communications executive, including at WCBS Newsradio 880, Yeshiva University and the Orthodox Union. Listeners to the Nachum Segal Network might also know his name from his decades as an occasional substitute host of “JM in the AM.”
“I’m grateful for all the interesting things I got to do during my first career,” Fertig said, “from anchoring the morning news on small radio stations to publishing and editing a newspaper, and working on behalf of some of our greatest community institutions. But I’ve always dreamed of having my own business. I enjoy working with my hands, and when I finally decided I didn’t want to spend the rest of my working years in communications, my wife, Chani, and I decided to roll the dice and I went back to school.” He earned a certificate in HVAC at Lincoln Tech.
As a small business, HVAC READY is very careful about the jobs it takes on, Fertig said. “This is a field where people often hire the cheapest vendor they can find, and then the work doesn’t get done right and there are problems. We’re determined to always be part of the solution, and never the problem. We’re not interested in just doing a job and being done. We are highly responsive, and we want to provide the upkeep that will keep a system going for years to come.”
As for how work has been going, Fertig has only good things to report. “It’s really been wonderful. Starting a new business is never easy, especially after COVID where so many small businesses were wiped out. But so far we’ve been embraced by the community. We’re providing a service people need, at a level they want, and Baruch Hashem, it’s been going well.”
For people who may be thinking about a mid-life career change, Fertig offered the following advice: “My wife and I have always felt that if you’re not happy with what you’re doing, it’s best to make a change. But that’s not to suggest doing something rash. If you’re considering a career change, a realistic plan and a good support system are crucial, beginning with your spouse being firmly on board. Without my wife’s support and encouragement I couldn’t possibly have done this.”
HVAC READY currently is making appointments for pre-summer air conditioning tune-ups that are intended to minimize the odds of AC failure on the hottest days of summer. For an appointment, call or WhatsApp (201) 357-0838, or email [email protected]. Additionally, check them out on Facebook at facebook.com/HVACReadyLLC.
Adam Samuel is a journalist from Teaneck. He blogs at www.adamssoapbox.com.
