Pleasant Air, located at 151 Sloop Point Loop Rd. in Hampstead, has served families for three generations.

“My grandfather, Larry Crawford, established Pleasant Air in 1987,” said David Crawford, the latest generation of Crawfords to lead the company.

David’s grandfather worked for York International Heating and Air® in Manhattan as a company representative. He retired from York International Heating and Air after 25 years. He moved to Florida, but Florida wasn’t to his liking, so Larry and his wife took the scenic route from Florida northward on US Highway 17. They discovered one flashing traffic light in a burg called Hampstead.

“They found a home on Ravenswood in Olde Point, which was new at the time,” David recalled. “They bought a spec house in Olde Point and our family would visit regularly.”

Larry started doing consulting work and he found himself helping his neighbors with their heating and cooling questions.

“At that time, there were no heating and cooling companies in the area,” David said. “You called businesses either in Jacksonville or Wilmington.”

Larry started Pleasant Air. Meanwhile, in upstate New York, Larry’s son, Bryant requested a transfer to the Wilmington office from his heating and cooling company. Bryant moved the family to the area. In 1993, Bryant joined the Pleasant Air company on a full-time basis.

“Over the years we’ve had a few partners in the business, but now we are strictly family-owned,” said David.

In the early years of the business, Larry worked from his Olde Point home. In 1989 Larry purchased the building and property on Sloop Point Loop Road. That location has been home to the Pleasant Air family. They have built additions to the original building as the company has grown.

“We’re here to help our neighbors with air and heating needs,” said David.

The company sells Trane systems as well as Mitsubishi ductless units. 

“A large volume of our work is maintenance contracts and service calls,” said David. “Our number one service call pertains to drains backing up, due to our high humidity. Under a service contract, drain lines are included as routine maintenance.”

Staying abreast of the latest industry trends is important to David. He said in January 2025 there will be refrigerant mandates by the government.

“It’s proven technology but will increase costs,” David said.

Security is important to Pleasant Air too. David said they have staff who are long-term employees. The employees undergo full background checks and motor vehicle checks.

“We want our customers to feel comfortable when our company visits their home or office,” said David.

After more than 34 years of business, David said he and his father never forgot the lessons learned from Larry.

“My grandfather was a good person,” David said. “He believed in charging fair prices and he tried to make sure the customer was taken care of in a timely manner. He believed in doing good work.”

Bryant has retired from Pleasant Air. David is at the helm with his wife, Marisa, who is the office manager. David said he is blessed that his wife is a co-worker as well. The couple has four children and hopes one day they will learn the family business at Pleasant Air.

Meanwhile, the Crawfords focus on serving the community. They believe in supporting community activities, such as donating to the schools, the Kiwanis Club’s Halloween event, and law enforcement flag football, just to name a few. Last year they participated in a Christmas giveaway with a radio station in which they provided a system to a breast cancer patient.

“We’ve seen a lot of changes in Hampstead over the years,” David said. “But we continue to serve our neighbors’ heating and air conditioning needs.”

To learn more about Pleasant Air, call 910-270-3934 or visit them online at pleasantair.com as well as Instagram and Facebook.