Choosing the right HVAC contractor is essential to ensuring your heating and air conditioning systems are installed and maintained correctly. But there are thousands of contractors out there, and they don’t all offer the same level of quality. So how do you make sure the HVAC company you hire will provide a high-quality installation and excellent customer service? This checklist will help.
When researching heating and cooling companies, look for these key indicators of a quality contractor.
Before hiring an HVAC professional to replace your system or for repair services, you should always ensure they’re properly licensed and insured. Reputable companies are happy to share their licensing and insurance information with you. Your local building department can let you know if licensing is required and how to look it up. Also, if an HVAC contractor avoids sharing their insurance details, that is probably a red flag.
Another good way to judge a company’s performance before hiring them is to see what their past customers have to say about their work. Check out the company’s Google reviews to gauge its reputation. A contractor with a good track record is likely to offer reliable and high-quality services.
Years in business is a good indicator that a company’s management and operations are dependable. You should also look at photos of completed jobs or references they’ve posted on their website. Proud professionals like to share examples of their work. .
A reputable company will provide a detailed estimate of the work to be done that explains what services are included, as well as options and the associated costs. If they’re unwilling to provide an estimate or can’t defend their pricing when questioned, start looking for a different contractor.
Besides the factors listed above, you may know of other research methods to vet an HVAC professional, but most of the time, you have to take them at their word. If you want more than that, look for a contractor that offers ACCA Quality Installation (QI) certificates.
To issue an ACCA QI certificate, an HVAC contractor must test your system after it’s been installed using advanced third-party software that analyzes actual performance data from your new equipment and flags issues in real time. The software will only issue an ACCA QI certificate when specific, high-performance criteria are met, so your contractor is obligated to make adjustments until the system is operating at its best.
With an ACCA QI certificate, you get third-party confirmation that your new heating system, AC, or heat pump has been installed to maximize performance, efficiency, and longevity.