The heating and cooling system represents a significant investment in your indoor comfort. The equipment is complex, and it relies on electrical, mechanical and electronic components to work correctly. For these reasons, you don’t want incompetent, unqualified people working on your system. It may be tempting to cut corner, but this is extremely short sighted, and it could cost you more money in the long run. It’s advisable to choose a local HVAC company to work on your system to make sure the job gets done right. Here are five questions that you will need answers for if you want to hire the best HVAC company in your area.
- Are They Experienced?
This may seem obvious, but some people will hire new or unqualified HVAC companies to work on their equipment. This is usually to save money, but it’s a better idea to go with experienced contractors with experience in all the latest industry developments. If you go for a less experienced company, you may find that their employees have little to no experience with all the latest technology.
- Do They Have Credentials?
Most of the established contractors working in the U.S. today have proper certification. There is “The HVAC Excellence” certification for HVAC technicians that ensure their work quality through a validation process, and it also offers ongoing education. All of these certifications need to be up to date, and you can find qualified technicians through a variety of professional organizations, such as:
- Air Conditioning Contractors Association of America (ACCA)
- National Association of Technical Excellence (NATE)
- Energy Smart Contractor (RESNET)
Also, make sure your you know the required licenses for your state and make sure that your HVAC company can meet them. Make sure that your chosen company has adequate liability insurance to protect your property and those working on it if they get hurt.
- Can They Provide a Free Estimate?
It’s always great if you can get the best price for good or services. We all like a good deal, but make sure to get the best service for the price you’re going to pay. Ask for estimates from your shortlist and only consider the price after you’ve established that they are qualified to carry out the work. Taking some time here and making a good choice will save you money in the long run.
- Do They Have References?
Any person applying for a new job has to supply references and hiring an HVAC company is no different. There are online directories that you can reference, but the best reference that you can get are from trusted friends, family and work colleagues.
- Are There Reviews and Testimonies?
The company should also have plenty of testimonies to share with you, and you can also check reviews for the company online. Take a close look at the reviews, and this can be a great determining factor in which HVAC company you choose. Take care when you see low rated reviews, read them carefully, it’s an old adage, but you cannot please everyone.