No major decision should be made without first doing your homework, that includes the decision of picking an HVAC contractor. You’ll want to find a contractor that will listen to you and make sure they are meeting all your home comfort needs.
HVAC installation is not something you want to try to DIY. It’s important to find a contractor that is highly skilled in many areas. They will evaluate your home’s load calculation, pull permits to ensure local codes are met, check piping and a bunch of steps in-between. If your top-of-the-line system doesn’t get a top-of-the-line installation, you’re more likely to get subpar performance from your system.
The professionals at Farnell Heating & Air Conditioning Inc have put together some questions to ask to guide you on your quest of finding your ideal HVAC contractor.
Do they have references or referrals?
If you’re looking to work with a company they should be able to provide you with a list of recent customers that can corroborate the quality of their work. Once you receive that you can call and inquire about their recent HVAC projects, if they are satisfied with the results and if they would work with the company again in the future.
Some other sources to check with are the ACCA (Air Conditioning Contractors of America) and the Better Business Bureau. Searching a contractor on BBB will allow you to look through consumer ratings and will also show you any customer complaints lodged against a company. The ACCA is a non-profit that employs the know-how of over 60,000 professionals and 4,000 businesses. Contractors that are members of ACCA are serious about their profession and will happily provide you with referrals.
An additional option is requesting the help of your friends on social media. These recommendations are given by people you know and trust. In most cases you’ll not only get feedback on what contractors to use, but also who to avoid. If you’re looking for suggestions from your neighbors, nextdoor.com is literally a social network of your neighbors.
Are they NATE-certified?
If your contractor is NATE-certified you can have confidence that you’re getting a contractor that meets the highest standards in installation and service. NATE (North American Technician Excellence) is a non-profit organization for HVAC technicians. In order to become NATE-certified a technician has to pass specialized and real-world tests that were developed by a committee of the top industry experts.
Are they properly licensed and insured?
Just about every state requires licensure for HVAC contractors. This assists in protecting consumers from companies that use less than qualified workers. A simple online search will show you whether your state requires a license or not. If you are living in a state the requires a license and your contractor doesn’t have one, look elsewhere to avert any issues.
When to ask these questions?
The perfect time to locate a quality HVAC contractor is before anything breaks down. If you get your system checked when it’s running properly and get your yearly maintenance scheduled to keep it running properly.
A relationship built on trust and experience is important to us at Farnell Heating & Air Conditioning Inc in Mobile. Our professionals will happily answer any questions you may have about home comfort. Give us a call at 251-471-2674 or set up an appointment with us using our online scheduler.