Judy and Leonard Reyes, owners of Discount AC and Heating, promise quality work with a personal touch. Staff photo
Leonard Reyes and his wife, Judy, keep their clients cool maintaining, repairing and replacing air conditioners. After hours, they heat up local stages with their band, Profile. Just like music, air conditioning runs in his family’s blood, said Leonard, who owns and operates Discount Air Conditioning and Heating in Corpus Christi.
“My dad was a musician and worked in air conditioning, too,” Reyes said. “I’ve been in the air-conditioning business with my dad for about 30 years. I’ve been a musician since I was 16 years old.”
He played the Tejano circuit as a drummer for 20 years, earned recording contracts and toured the nation.
“Ten years ago, I decided to grow up and start a company,” he said.
He turned to a business he knew well: working on air conditioners in Corpus Christi.
ACs in a coastal clime need more care and attention than cooling units in other parts of the country, Reyes noted. He ought to know. He grew up in Corpus Christi, learning the trade while tackling the climate at the same time.
“We have a lot of salt in the air, which is the worst for an AC unit,” Reyes said.
He recommends using 2-inch pleated filters on inside units to keep dirt from building up, which decreases the cooling efficiency over time. An outdoor unit should be washed at least once a year to remove accumulated salt and sand, extending its life span.
“Even with that, the longevity of a system in Corpus Christi is about 10 years,” Reyes said. “In San Antonio, it’s about 20 years.”
Discount AC is expanding into the San Antonio market, where Leonard’s brother works at their branch office as an estimator. Judy and Leonard also manage several of their own rental properties, while keeping their home and business office pristine inside and out. Judy’s background in construction helps.
“Sometimes, we have to replace grills or fix ceilings, and she’s ready to do those repairs immediately,” Reyes said. “It worked out really well for us.”
Also a musician, Judy came to air-conditioning work as a matter of the heart.
“I fell in love,” she said.
“With the business owner!” piped in Leonard.
The two met at a local open mic night. A mutual friend introduced them, and it wasn’t long before they were inseparable. Now, she’s a percussionist in Leonard’s five-member band, Profile. They play once or twice a month at local bars, festivals, weddings and parties. They recently opened for Roberto Pulito, a well-known Tejano star.
“There’s a bigger demand in South Texas for air conditioning than entertainment,” said Judy with a laugh.
Together five years now, the couple has seen their air-conditioning business grow as they continue to provide quality, personal service. The company is designated as a Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) and a HomeAdvisor.com contractor.
Since opening Discount Air Conditioning six years ago, the company has more than doubled in size and continues to grow. Reyes attributes the growth to that dedication to customer service and quality work.
“With the big air-conditioner contractors, you never get to meet the owner,” Judy said. “We deal with each customer personally. Yes, we have a crew, but we still deal with the customers on a personal basis.”
“We provide the highest quality work,” Leonard said. “That’s my secret: quality work, quality work, quality work.”
Has a nice — cool — beat to it.
