When trouble strikes with your HVAC unit, as the homeowner, the responsibility and cost fall on you. Whether you try to fix the issue yourself, or bite the proverbial bullet and hire an HVAC contractor, it’s important to do your due diligence before you get expert help. Not all contractors are made equal — so you’ll want to find one that is both reputable and highly trained in working on HVAC systems of all brands.
Here are five things to know before hiring an HVAC contractor.
Reputation.
You want an HVAC contractor that you can trust that has both the reputation and reviews to back their work. Whether you ask for references or check their Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, it’s important to ensure that the contractor you are considering is able to consistently produce high-quality work for homeowners, like you.
License and Insured.
With anyone who may do work on your home, you want to double-check that they have the proper licenses and insurance to cover both your home and themselves, should they get injured while on your property. If they don’t supply their licenses and insurance certificate upfront, be sure to ask for it before making your final hiring decision. Also, ask for what brands and types of HVAC units they have experience working on to ensure that they aren’t stepping too far out of their area of expertise to service your unit.
Good to Know
If the prospective contractor does not ask specific questions about your unit, the problems you’ve been having or offers some basic troubleshooting advice, then proceed with caution.
Quality of work for the price.
Of course most homeowners want to get the best deal on contracting work, especially when it comes to repairing or replacing HVAC units. However, if you find that the contractor’s prices are significantly lower than other similarly skilled competitors, then beware. Many times contractors with expired licenses may be willing to do work for less, but their work will not come with many guarantees like reputable contractors.
Ask questions about your unit.
Not all HVAC systems are the same and you want a contractor that both knows how to work on your brand of system and will ask questions to ensure that they are the right ones for the job. If the prospective contractor does not ask specific questions about your unit, the problems you’ve been having or offers some basic troubleshooting advice, then proceed with caution.
Guarantee of work.
You won’t find an HVAC contractor that can guarantee the life of your system. However, you should at least look for contractors that can offer even if it is a 30-day work guarantee to cover the work they do on your HVAC system. This helps to give you peace of mind knowing that what you are paying for will be completed with the highest quality.
Conclusion.
Hiring an HVAC contractor isn’t something you should take lightly. You’ll want to invest the proper time in reviewing their credentials, asking questions, comparing pricing/services before you make a decision. It’s important to do your due diligence now so that you can rest assured that the work will be done right, the first time.