Best Advice for Hiring an HVAC Contractor
HVAC contractors perform a wide range of highly useful skills around the home. Some you may not even know about. In addition to repairing, replacing, installing, and maintaining heating and air conditioning units, your friendly HVAC contractor can also install attic fans, whole house fans, roof mounted fans, and garage fans for your home.
All of these things work together to help keep your family comfortable and can help you breathe cleaner air throughout the year. But, how do you know you’re hiring the right HVAC contractor?
While there’s no definitive right or wrong for all situations, these things will help ensure you’re getting the skill and service your family deserves.
Look for Licensed Contractors
Whether licensing is a requirement in your state or simply a recommendation, there’s a reason it’s highly recommended. Licenses are issued by the state and contractors have to prove they know the tricks of their trade. This often involves actual tests or participation in some sort of accredited program.
When it comes to licensing, it’s best to have an attitude of trust but verify. Don’t just take the HVAC
contractor’s word for it. Find out for yourself if the license is active, if it belongs to that contractor, and what the licensing requirements in your city and state indicate about the contractor.
Expect Bonding and Certifications
Bonding and certifications are also good ideas when dealing with HVAC contractors. Bonds insure
professional standards and/or timely completion of projects. Both are useful when dealing with contractors and will save you from many hassles as the project moves forward. Certifications indicate certain levels of proficiency with HVAC-related skills. There is often an educational and testing component involved in the certification process that indicates a contractor is proficient in his field.
Ask for References
Contractors who have been around any length of time should have a long list of satisfied customers willing to put in a good word for them. Ask. Also ask your friends and family for their experiences with HVAC professionals. They’ll often tell you the unvarnished truth of their experiences with a particular contractor.
Check the Availability of the Contractor
This is a bigger deal than you realize and is a question you should ask before you research the contractor any further. During certain times of the year, it’s nearly impossible to get quick service from HVAC professionals.
Routine maintenance should be scheduled as far in advance as possible. Emergency situations are generally dealt with on a first come; first served basis. You don’t want to be caught waiting on a contractor with a six week backlog of winterization work and maintenance when your air conditioner goes out in the middle of a late September heat wave.
If you’ve done your homework, including checking into the items mentioned above, you should be poised for a good customer experience with your HVAC contractor.