Owner of Professional Heating & Air | HVAC Contractor and Louisiana Mechanical License Holder
Professional Overview
James Barras is the owner of Professional Heating & Air and has more than 20 years of HVAC experience. His background includes field work, formal HVAC education, apprenticeship training, federal facility experience, and 15 years building Professional Heating & Air. He leads the Hammond-based company with a focus on developing its people, improving service quality, and creating a positive workplace. His goal is continuous improvement that produces strong system service, a better customer experience, and long-term value for homeowners.
Quick Facts
Name: James Barras Title: Owner of Professional Heating & Air Experience: More than 20 years in HVAC; 15 years with Professional Heating & Air Location and service areas: Hammond, Louisiana and Mandeville, Louisiana Areas of focus: HVAC service, technician development, continuous company improvement, and delivering an exceptional experience for team members and customers
Experience & Leadership
James Barras began his HVAC career through an apprenticeship program after deciding to pursue a skilled trade that offered both technical challenges and the opportunity to eventually build a business. Over more than two decades in the industry, his experience has included working for two HVAC companies and serving as an HVAC technician for the federal government at a research building in New Orleans.
After gaining field experience and completing an HVAC degree through Delgado, James returned to Louisiana’s Northshore and started his own HVAC business from a garage in Ponchatoula. Over the following 15 years, he developed the business into Professional Heating & Air, serving customers in the Hammond and Mandeville areas.
As the owner of Professional Heating & Air, James focuses on improving how the business operates, developing the people within it, and creating a workplace where employees can succeed in a positive environment. The company’s stated mission is to empower its people to produce exceptional results through an elite company.
His leadership philosophy shapes both the company’s internal culture and its approach to customer service. He emphasizes continuous improvement, professionalism, strong team performance, and providing the best experience possible for employees and customers.
Technical Expertise
HVAC systems and service
Louisiana mechanical contracting
HVAC technician field experience
Apprenticeship-based HVAC trade training
HVAC work in a federal research-building environment
HVAC company operations and service delivery
HVAC workforce development and technician growth
Customer experience within an HVAC service business
Licenses & Certifications
Louisiana State Mechanical License: #57241
HVAC Degree: Delgado, New Orleans
Editorial Standards & Disclosures
Content attributed to James Barras draws on his real-world HVAC experience and professional industry knowledge. His author content is created with accuracy and homeowner clarity in mind, is subject to editorial oversight, and may be updated periodically as industry practices or company information change. Editorial Policy
If you’re in the market for a new generator, you might want to consider getting an energy audit before making the purchase. We know, there are a lot of misconceptions about energy audits that they’re only for businesses or major buildings and not for homes—but that couldn’t be further from the truth. There are several different types of home generators that could work for you, but your electrical systems might be too much for the generator you’re about to buy. How can you tell if that might happen?
Bingo! An energy audit will give a complete survey of how much energy you consume, as well as what systems are using the most and what devices you might consider not worth powering in the event that there’s a power outage. Overall, you might see yourself saving quite a bit of money after the whole process is finished, rather than get the wrong type of generator fitter for your house to only get stuck constantly calling for generator repair in Hammond, LA.
With the onslaught of thunderstorms coming this week and for the rest of the season, we’re definitely going to see an increase in generator purchases. With the climate changing, we’ve seen weather-related power outages double since 2003 and they’re only getting more severe. You’re lucky you’ve got your portable generator in the garage in case you lose power this season, right?
Well, you might not be as lucky as you think. Portable generators are meant for worksites, campsites, tailgating, and other—less power-intensive—energy needs. If you’re looking to power your whole house for a few days, including air conditioning, from the convenience of your smartphone, then you’re going to want to upgrade to a whole-house generator.
There are just SO MANY great air conditioning systems on the market today, but there is one in particular that we can’t stop talking about. It’s the heat pump! Heat pumps are efficient, effective, and are pretty popular for their ability to provide year-round comfort with just the flip of a switch (but more on that later!)
What we are trying to say is that there are plenty of reasons to consider installing a heat pump in your home, and below, we’ve listed a few of them. All you’ve got to do is keep reading to find out more. So, hop to it!
One thing’s for sure: when it comes to your air conditioner, you want to be absolutely sure that it is working as efficiently and as effectively as possible. But, how can you do this? Well, for one, you can consider making upgrades designed to enhance your cooling capabilities.
What are we talking about?
We are talking about adding a zone control system! Zone control gives you ultimate control over your cooling and heating systems, increasing efficiency and leaving you with more money on your pockets! Below, we have listed just some of the many reasons why you should consider installing a zone control system in your home. Keep reading to find out more.
Owning a ductless system certainly comes with its benefits—it’s efficient, effective, doesn’t take up very much space, and can provide year-round comfort with just the flip of a switch. But no matter how great your system is, eventually, it is going to require repairs. Do not fret though—having a team of experts to service your air conditioning in Covington, LA can make all the difference.
There are quite a few ductless repairs that we think you should be aware of, so below, we have listed some of them for you. All you have to do is keep reading to learn more (and remember to contact our team if you’ve got a faulty ductless system on your hands!)
Be honest: how often do you change your air conditioning’s air filter? Once a year? Does your HVAC technician do it for you? Do you even know what the air filter does or why it’s important to change it?
Don’t feel too bad if you find yourself unable to answer these questions — many homeowners don’t quite know when to change out their air filters and why it’s so important. So below, we have provided the answer to these questions for you. All you have to do is keep reading to find out more!
Summer is coming, which means that before you know it, you’ll be enjoying all of your favorite summertime things: swimming, ice cream, barbeques, beaches, air conditioner… wait, did someone say air conditioner? How can someone possibly get excited about an air conditioner?!
Well, it’s quite easy to get excited about your air conditioner when it runs efficiently and effectively all summer long! But in order to ensure that your AC is energy efficient, there are a couple of things you need to do. First, you need to contact a professional AC technician and secondly, you need to keep reading this blog!
“Routine maintenance” are the two words that will save your
air conditioner’s life. And we really want to place emphasis on the word “routine.”
Only getting maintenance once every few years is certainly more helpful than
none at all, but you’d still be sabotaging your air conditioner’s potential.
Maintenance can only help your air conditioner for a limited time before the machine naturally begins to wear down again. We know that many homeowners avoid it because they don’t like the idea of spending money, but we can assure you that neglecting maintenance will actually cost more in the long run (and we’re not just saying that because we’re an HVAC company in Ponchatoula, LA). Routine maintenance always makes sense, and here’s why: check out how routine AC maintenance helps homeowners for a deeper understanding.
Owning a whole-house generator requires planning for preparedness. As such, you’ll need to take your generator’s fuel type into consideration as part of your preparations. Each fuel type has its own benefits and drawbacks; some of them might be hindrance to your plans while others could be an advantage.
Plus, if your generator needs repair, you’ll want to understand all of the risks associated with its fuel type. For example, diesel is actually one of the least flammable fuel sources, while a fuel like natural gas can be dangerous if the gas lines become compromised.
What is the best fuel type for a whole house generator?
The best fuel type for a whole house generator depends on your home’s fuel access, backup power needs, and storage preferences. Natural gas is often the most convenient if gas lines are available, propane offers long shelf life and cleaner operation, and diesel is efficient for heavy, long-term use.
In the meantime, we’ll tell you about some of the most common
fuel types used with generators:
Air conditioner are designed to blow air. There’s nothing
very difficult about understanding that.
But if an air conditioner suddenly stops blowing air—or if
the airflow is severely reduced—then it can be much more difficult to
interpret.
Unless you have an expert of air conditioning repair in Hammond, LAdrive down to investigate the system, the cause for your airflow issues are as good as any guess.
If that guess were up to us, however, we assume it could possibly
be due to one of the following issues:
