Your HVAC system is perhaps the most sophisticated — and expensive — equipment in your home. And though most properly installed systems will last many years, they will sometimes need repairs and maintenance. That’s why you need to be sure the cooling and heating contractor you choose is a top professional.
But how can you tell if the contractor you’re considering is competent? Here is some advice to follow:
1. Licensed, Insured, and Bonded
Don’t even think about hiring someone without proper licensing, insurance and bonding. Licensing shows a level of professionalism that assures the contractor can actually perform the work you want done. In addition, the company’s technicians should be certified by a reputable certification organization, to prove they are also capable of working on your equipment. Insurance ensures that if anyone is injured on your property, you are covered. Bonding protects you if the contractor fails to finish the work, doesn’t pay for permits or supplies or if damage to your property or the subcontractors occurs.
2. Contractor Will Offer to Come to Your Home to Make Bids
Avoid contractors who want to give you a bid over the phone for installments or for repairs. A technician needs to look at your system first in order to provide a reasonable estimate of how much the project will cost. When it comes to an installation, the contractor should offer to come to your home and collect data, including square footage, number and size of windows, what direction the home faces, how many occupants and insulation levels. This data should be used to calculate through industry software the heating and cooling loads of the home, as well as how large the system should be. Never accept installation bids based on square footage alone.
3. Contractor has Good Recommendations
Ask the contractor for recommendations, then follow up by calling them. Ask if the job was finished on time, satisfactorily and for the price the contractor proposed.
To learn more about how to find a good cooling and heating contractor, contact Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. We serve Indianapolis and the surrounding area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
