A.O. Reed & Co. San Diego CA — Mechanical Contracting, HVAC & Plumbing

Business Overview

A.O. Reed & Co. San Diego CA is a licensed mechanical contractor serving San Diego and nearby communities since 1914. The firm works on commercial and institutional projects — healthcare, education, and hospitality — while also providing building services and select residential work. They offer scheduled maintenance and on-call emergency service for urgent HVAC and plumbing issues. The team includes licensed technicians, project managers, designers, and prefabrication craftsmen who handle projects of many sizes.

Key Services

Services are grouped to make it easy to find what a property owner needs:

• HVAC: design-build systems, installation, retrofit work, preventive maintenance plans, and system commissioning.
• Plumbing: plumbing inspection, repairs, new installations, and medical gas piping for healthcare settings.
• Mechanical Contracting: prefabrication, project coordination, LEED and sustainability work, and long-term service agreements.
• Special Projects: museum and institutional renovations, including work on the USS Midway Museum.

Areas Served

A.O. Reed & Co. works across San Diego County and nearby inland areas. Their service area includes:

• La Jolla, CA
• Alpine, CA
• Borrego Springs, CA
• Campo, CA
• Anza, CA
• Pine Valley, CA
• Julian, CA
• Lake Riverside, CA
• Descanso, CA
• Pala, CA

Company History

The company began in 1914 when brothers Albert O. and Harry Reed opened a small plumbing shop. Their sons Jim and Don took the helm in 1955 and moved into air conditioning work, helping pioneer the trade in San Diego County. Over time the plumbing and HVAC trades were combined into a full mechanical contracting firm. Leaders later included Ed Andrade, who served as president through the 1980s and early 1990s. Today Steve Reed is CEO & Chairman and David Clarkin has served as President since 2015. The firm preserves craft knowledge across generations and has grown into a reliable contractor for institutional clients.

Leadership

Leadership brings practical trade experience and local ties. The Reed family remains involved at the executive level. David Clarkin manages day-to-day operations and project delivery. The company participates in industry groups and holds certifications such as MSCA GreenSTAR, reflecting its focus on sustainable operations and contractor best practices.

Specialties & Highlights

• LEED-certified project experience and sustainability consulting.
• Prefabrication that shortens field time and improves schedule reliability.
• HVAC maintenance plans tailored to hospitals, schools, and hotels.
• Work on notable local sites, including the USS Midway Museum renovation.

Why Locals Choose A.O. Reed & Co.

Locals value the company for steady, practical performance across a variety of building types. A.O. Reed & Co. San Diego CA blends long experience with trade-level innovation, delivering reliable maintenance and project work that fits San Diego’s coastal climate and the inland heat of places like Borrego Springs. The company keeps schedules tight, works with local building teams, and maintains clear communication from planning through turnover.

Hours: Mon–Fri 7:00 AM–4:00 PM. Emergency service is available for urgent building system failures.