When you’re in the house drenched with sweat or shivering cold — you’ve already waited too long. To stay comfortable inside your home through every season, you need to take action and hire a heating and cooling professional -an HVAC contractor – that you can trust. Otherwise, you can always count on HVAC bills that are too high, and hot and cold months that are bitter to get through.
But you’re in luck. With a few points of consideration, you’ll not only know how to hire an HVAC repair contractor, but you’ll have the tools to hire the most qualified and trustworthy technician in your area.
Read the eight points below and start reaching out to some HVAC professionals.
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Choose an HVAC Repair Contractor with Years of Experience
When you’re choosing a heating and air conditioning contractor, you’ll need to make sure that they have years of work in the industry to base their reputation on.
An HVAC shop that has decades of experience not only signifies that they know what they’re doing, but that they’re also trustworthy and should have quality customer service.
Check their Better Business Bureau (BBB) score in order to figure out what customers are saying about their past experiences with the company. These BBB listings break down the number of official complaints that companies have received, what their overall business-grade is, reviews about past experiences, and more.
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Find out What Their Specialty Is
Just like car shops, medical practices, and other businesses have specialties, HVAC contractors also have specific areas they focus on.
For instance, one HVAC company might focus mostly on in-depth remodels, while others install air conditioners and insulation. When you learn more about the specialty of the heating and cooling professionals that you choose to do business with, you’ll be better able to put the right people in place for your household.
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Determine What Kind of HVAC Work You Need
Once you put together a list of HVAC contractors and researched their specialties, it’s time to map out exactly what you need from the project.
If you need some HVAC maintenance, it means coming up with a budget and determining which repairs you need. It’s necessary to change your filters on a monthly basis, and it’s also helpful to get an HVAC professional to clean out your air ducts and test out your insulation.
A company looking for commercial HVAC work will have entirely different circumstances and needs. Start with taking an overall look at your project, so that you can meet with an HVAC contractor that can help fill in the details.
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Sit down for a Consultation
After you have a list of about six different HVAC repair contractors, you’re ready to schedule some appointments.
Heating and cooling technicians begin their services with a free consultation, which will lay out a game plan for all the work you need. This includes start and end dates, listings of materials, price estimates, and a time to answer any questions that you have.
Some of the questions you’ll need to ask include finding out what technology is best for your home, what size HVAC system you’ll need, whether you’re eligible for any credits or rebates, and most importantly—what makes them the most qualified contractors to help you.
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Get Cost Estimates on the Services You’re Looking For
When you take consultations, you’ll always want to come away with written estimates.
That shifts leverage in your favor so that you can weigh one cost estimate against another until you get a great price. When the price estimates are itemized, you’ll see what exactly you’re being charged.
For instance, some HVAC technicians charge a service fee, while others will charge you flat or by the hour. The more cost estimates you get, the better chance you’ll have of saving some money.
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Ensure That They Use New, Top of the Line Equipment
Anytime that you’re getting HVAC work done, it should include some sort of upgrade to new technology. This could mean upgrading to a better air filter or part, or it could mean remodeling your entire HVAC system.
Stay up to date with heating and cooling technology so that you’re always modernizing your HVAC equipment.
For instance, solar hot water heaters are all the rage now, because they save energy and work more efficiently than older models. There are plenty of new models released every year, so do your research and work with HVAC contractors that can keep your equipment top of the line.
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Research the Background of Different Companies
You’ll always need to research the license of your heating and cooling technician.
They’ll need to be properly licensed and insured before you should allow them to handle your heating and cooling work. Be sure that their license number checks out in your state business database, and see if they have lawsuits filed against them that might present red flags.
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Ask Around for Some References
Finally, talk to several people that you know in order to get an idea of the HVAC contractors that they trust.
These references are valuable and will help point you toward professional, trustworthy technicians. You should also take a peek at the reviews they have on the web.
Hire the Best Heating and Cooling Professional
Take your time and do your research when you’re getting ready to hire an HVAC repair contractor to help you out in your home.
These contractors are responsible for the climate control in your home as a whole, so you want to make sure that the professional you choose will be knowledgeable, speedy and 100% reliable.
Be sure to check out more of our content when you need help with any sort of home remodel or repairs.