Whether you’re looking for HVAC repair, maintenance or installation, choosing the right contractor is absolutely vital.
If you choose the best air conditioning or furnace contractor, he will do the job professionally and offer a high-quality service. But if you land on the wrong one, he may end up doing a poor job. With all the HVAC contractors available, how can you figure the right one for your installation or maintenance project? Here are tips to help you pick the right contractor for a great experience and excellent results.
Do Your Research – Licensing & Certification
Before you hire any contractor, ask for their proof of licensing and insurance. Having a license means they are allowed to offer HVAC services in your area. If they’re insured, it means that you won’t be held liable for any injuries or damages that may happen in the course of their work on your property. Many homeowners don’t feel the need to ask for this proof, but they’re very important. If you hire a contractor who isn’t insured, you’ll be responsible for accidents and damages that will happen while the crew installs or services your system.
In Ohio, visit the Ohio Dept. of Commerce website to learn more about licensing and insurance requirements, and to search for an HVAC contractor’s license information.
In addition to licensing, it’s best to choose an HVAC contractor that is NATE Certified. The North American Technician Excellence conducts industry standard certification courses and testing, and NATE technicians have demonstrated their knowledge of today’s increasingly sophisticated heating and cooling systems. NATE certification is considered the bellwether of the industry.
Be Prepared – Know Your Equipment Specs
Before calling your potential contractor, be armed with information concerning your current system. We recommend you know:
- Your Furnace and AC system’s serial number
- model number of your HVAC equipment
- brand on the equipment, and
- approximate age
If possible, take a photo of your system, especially the ID tag part. Other things you may want to note down are the number of times your system has been serviced and rooms or areas which are too cold or too hot. Why is this information crucial? If you want a new HVAC system, this data will help the HVAC contractor to determine the exact system that’ll suit your needs. If you have any relevant information about your system, don’t forget to give it to the HVAC contractor.
Get Referrals from Friends and Relatives
Your next HVAC contractor may be the same one who installed or serviced a system for your loved one — ask them for recommendations. If you know of a local Facebook group, go there and ask if anyone can recommend an excellent contractor from personal experience. If you don’t know of any such group, then your favorite search engine can also help.
Google “best HVAC contractor near me” and go through the results. Browse their reviews and read what previous customers are saying about them. If most of the online reviews are good, you may have found your next HVAC contractor. But if most of their reviews are negative, it’s a red flag. Don’t forget to check how they’re rated from 1-5, 5 being the best. Your best bet is to only work with furnace or AC contractors whose average rating is above 4.5 star.
Ask for References
Do you have a potential HVAC contractor in mind? Call them and ask for customer references. Call these past customers and ask them questions concerning your potential contractor’s performance. Examples of questions you can ask are:
- Did they arrive on time?
- Were they happy with the quality of service offered?
- Were they professional all through the project and did they leave your house clean?
- Was the pricing clear or there were any hidden charges?
- Did they test your new system to ensure it’s fully functional?
These and other relevant questions will help figure out whether that contractor is right for you.
Look for Special Offers and Rebates
Buying a new heating and cooling system for your home is costly. To make it less expensive and save some money, visit www.energystar.gov and check to see if there are any rebates available for energy-efficient ENERGY STAR® heating and cooling systems.
Also, check whether your local utility company is offering any discounts or rebates. American Electric Power and Columbia Gas of Ohio, in particular, frequently offer rebates on equipment purchases. These companies provide these offers especially when you switch from your old, inefficient system to new high-efficient system. You can also check Yelp, Angie’s List, and other online services to see if there are other good offers in your area.
Only Consider ENERGY STAR Systems
The U.S. has strict energy efficiency guidelines in place; only choose ENERGY STAR qualified products because they adhere to these guidelines. All the heating and cooling systems we offer are ENERGY STAR qualified, and they’ll provide you with significant energy savings over time. A good contractor will even go a step further by calculating and showing you the savings you’ll get by choosing ENERGY STAR HVAC equipment.
An In-Home Evaluation is Not Optional, but Absolutely Necessary
Before recommending a particular system, your chosen contractor should first evaluate your current system and your home to determine your needs. A bigger HVAC system is not always better. A good contractor should recommend and install correctly-sized HVAC equipment depending on your home’s size, the amount of insulation available, the number and condition of windows, your home’s age, and other relevant factors. If you own a forced-air HVAC system, a qualified contractor should inspect its duct system for proper insulation, leaks, and take airflow measurements to ensure they’re in line with manufacturers’ specifications.
Get Written and Detailed Estimates
If you have a list of potential contractors and they’ve all given you quotes, compare these quotes even to the smallest detail. Some of the things you should compare are costs, warranties, and energy efficiency. However, beware that the lowest price isn’t always the best deal. You may get a lower-priced furnace system, but find it’s very inefficient. It may end up costing you in terms of high energy costs. Compare the estimates, but be smart when choosing.
Ensure You Get a Written Proposal for New Furnace or Air Conditioner
Before you hire a certain contractor and let him do the job, review all the contract terms and understand them. If there is something unclear or have any questions, get clarifications before putting your signature. And, don’t agree to anything in the contract if it’s not in writing. A written contract specifies the costs, system model, warranty information, and job schedule. If the contractor brings up something against you later on, you’ll have this document to protect you.
Finish by Inspecting the Newly-Installed HVAC System
The technician should be able to take you through the installation process so that you can make sure even the smallest details have been addressed. After checking that everything has been done right, make sure you know how the thermostat works (especially a WiFi Smart Thermostat, the location of air filters, and when your HVAC system is next due for servicing.
These tips will help you get a good contractor who will offer you a great experience and favorable results. Of course, you can save crucial time by our heating and cooling professionals. Having been in the industry for over 50 years, we’re reputable and well-known in the Columbus area for offering high-quality HVAC services.
Are you looking for the best AC and furnace service near you? We offer our services in Columbus Ohio, Licking County, Muskingum County, Fairfield County, Franklin County, and the surrounding areas.
Customer Satisfaction is Priority One
Customer satisfaction is our #1 priority, and we’re always on time for projects. Schedule an appointment with us today by using our online appointment form or call one of our seven neighborhood offices.
NEWARK 740.345.6639 • COLUMBUS 614.238.6689 • DUBLIN 614.545.8939 • REYNOLDSBURG 614.365.1579 • WESTERVILLE 614.381.1540 • GROVE CITY 614.595.3098 • ZANESVILLE 740.454.2420
Thanks for reading. We look forward to serving you!
