Russell and Abbott had a long history in the HVAC and residential services industry in Blount, Knox, and Loudon counties. Founded in 1977 by Charles Russell and John Abbott, the company initially offered HVAC and plumbing services. The founders retired in the mid-2000s, selling the business to a buyer unfamiliar with the HVAC trade, which led to employee turnover and a loss of client trust. Subsequently, the company was purchased by a Knoxville company, which also struggled and eventually went out of business. In 2013, four partners bought the assets of the company and worked to rebuild it. Over the next 13 years, Russell and Abbott became known for exceptional service, including their innovative Onyx System.

However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, spiraling inflation and other economic challenges strained the company. Although revenues grew, cash flow problems emerged due to undercapitalization. In 2023, leadership changes were made to streamline the business, but with depleted cash reserves and increasing vendor debts, the company found itself unable to continue. In September 2024, the decision was made to lay off employees and close the business.

No, Phoenix Home Comfort is its own business. While we purchased the customer list and phone number from Russell and Abbott, we’re here to bring our own approach to serving you. You can reach us directly at 865-224-3924.

Phoenix Home Comfort is a completely independent company, so we aren’t responsible for past agreements or unresolved cases. However, we’re here to support you however we can.

We’re happy to honor parts warranties through registered manufacturers, though any labor and warranty filing fees will need to be covered by the customer. As a JB-registered dealer, we’re also able to service JB parts and labor warranties on systems registered after April 2024.

We’re excited to be here for you and hope to earn your trust as we move forward.

Russell and Abbott offered a 10-year warranty on parts, labor, and maintenance for the Onyx system, with parts coverage provided by the manufacturer. The manufacturer’s 10-year parts warranty remains valid with product registration, as long as annual maintenance is performed. Moving forward, any qualified HVAC company can help file claims for parts under this warranty—but we’d like to think we’re the best folks for the job!

Russell and Abbott will be filing for bankruptcy, and they’ll be responsible for reaching out to customers regarding this matter. For any questions or concerns about refunds, please refer directly to Russell and Abbott’s communications.

No, that’s not what happened. The closure was due to financial challenges, not a cash-out by the owner. The owner worked very hard over many months, even years, to keep the business viable, but ultimately, it became clear that closing was necessary.

No! Your data was not leaked. Russell and Abbott had a capital loan secured by future accounts receivable. When payments for the advances stopped, the lender used shared information from bank statements to contact clients, informing them that payments were owed. No other information was compromised. All systems were protected by state-of-the-art security measures, managed by local IT partners.