When you own your own home, one number that you must have is for a quality HVAC contractor that you can trust. From keeping your family safe and warm in the winter months to staying comfortable and cool in the summer months, a good HVAC technician will ensure that your system performs at its best all year long. If you’re in the market for a new HVAC contractor, then we’re going to share with you some great tips on how to find the perfect one.
Get Referrals
One of the best places to start looking for an HVAC contractor is referrals. You want to ask family, friends, and even coworkers if they have a HVAC professional that they use. Most people won’t have a problem telling you both the good and bad contractors that they’ve come in contact with. It’s much easier to find a trustworthy contractor when you get a word-of-mouth referral from someone that you personally trust as compared to just reading reviews online.
Check Online Reviews
If you don’t have anyone you can ask for HVAC referrals, then you’ll want to rely on online reviews. There are a plethora of websites, including Google, that allow real customers to review the products and services that a business provides. These reviews allow you to get necessary insight into how a business operates and the quality of its workmanship. Just be sure to look at the majority of the reviews, as every business will be likely to have at least one or two dissatisfied customers.
Find Manufacturer Specialists
Most all HVAC manufacturers will offer some sort of specialist designation to HVAC companies that provide quality installation of their products. While each manufacturer will set their own standards for who can have a designation, most of them are fairly strict in evaluating potential contractors. As an HVAC customer, it can be helpful to look for companies that have manufacturer designations, as it helps to solidify the contractor’s workmanship and ethical practices.
Offer Multiple Services
One thing you definitely want to look for in an HVAC company is one that offers a variety of services. While most companies will offer heating and cooling services, you want to look beyond that. Look for services like air duct cleaning and indoor air quality improvement. When you opt for an HVAC company that offers all these different services, it makes it so much easier to simply call one company to get whatever service you need instead of having to worry about calling multiple different companies for various services.
Look For Certifications
Throughout the HVAC industry, companies can get different certifications. These certifications help to ensure that each company and technician fully understands HVAC technology and is capable of providing quality service to customers. One of the most prevalent certifications is the North American Technician Excellence, or NATE, certification. This certification designates that a technician possesses knowledge in heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration as a result of training and testing. EPA certification helps to ensure that technicians can safely work with refrigerant.
Licensing
California, just like many other states throughout the country, requires HVAC contractors to get a license to operate. You want to ensure that any contractor you hire has an active license. Companies will usually list their license number on their website, which you can use to check at your State Licensing Board. Performing a quick check will not only help to ensure that the license is not revoked but will also alert you to any past revocations or warnings that the company has gotten from the licensing board.
Experience
While it’s not guaranteed that every experienced HVAC company is a great one, the majority of them tend to be. If you can find an HVAC company that has been around for quite a while and still has a great reputation, it’s an indication that they do good quality work that lasts. You typically can figure out a company’s experience level by doing some digging on their website’s About Us page.
They Don’t Subcontract
One thing you want to ensure when you’re checking out prospective HVAC providers is that they don’t subcontract any other work. You want to check out a company to ensure that it’s great on every level. However, if they subcontract their work, you have no way of knowing how good their subcontractors are.
Provide Written Estimates
Another attribute you’ll want to look for in a quality HVAC contractor is that they offer written estimates for their work. Any reputable company will be able to provide you with an accurate written quote so that you not only understand the work that’s being performed but can also present it to your lender to get proper financing for the project. Companies that refuse to offer written contracts are most likely not going to stand behind their initial quote price when the work is completed.
Easy to Communicate With
When you start narrowing down your list of potential HVAC companies, it can be helpful to give them a call to get a feel for how they communicate. Most reputable companies will have a live agent answer the phone who is knowledgeable and can answer your questions. Companies that repeatedly send you to an answering machine during normal business hours can be hard to get in contact with when you have a problem, so they should be avoided.
Product Offerings
Another thing you’ll want to look for in a prospective HVAC company is that they offer the products you’re looking for. If you’re interested in getting a specific brand of HVAC system because you rely on it, you want to choose an HVAC contractor who offers those systems for both installation and repair work. If you would like to get the most energy-efficient models, you’ll want to choose a contractor who has access to them.
Offer Loyalty Program
Because most homeowners use HVAC contractors for both their heating and cooling needs, it’s no surprise that most HVAC companies will offer some sort of loyalty program. This program typically comes in the form of a maintenance agreement where the company will come out twice a year to service your HVAC system. They’ll typically offer you priority service when you experience a system breakdown and even provide you with discounts on repair and maintenance work when you sign up for their loyalty program. Choosing an HVAC contractor that offers this sort of loyalty program is ideal for gaining access to all the great things that come along with it.
BBB-Accredited
The Better Business Bureau, known informally as the BBB, offers accreditation to businesses that it feels meet its strict standards of quality. When an HVAC company earns a BBB accreditation, it signifies that it offers ethical advertising, lawful business practices, and honesty and transparency with its customers.
Reliable HVAC Service
White Mechanical, Inc. offers reliable HVAC service for the entire Foothill Ranch, CA community. We can also assist with all of your ductless mini-split, air duct cleaning, indoor air quality, commercial refrigeration, and commercial needs. Give us a call today to schedule your next service appointment.
