When you are shopping for a new furnace, air conditioner or water heater, the most important part is knowing how to hire a heating contractor.
If you hire a heating contractor who does’t meet your needs, you risk having multiple problems with your new HVAC system.
Remember that as much as half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling; so making smart decisions about your home’s heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system have a substantial effect on your utility bills – and your comfort.
Here are our tips to help you hire the right heating and cooling contractor:
Prepare
Know the model of your current system and its maintenance history. and , make note of any uncomfortable rooms.
This will help potential contractors better understand your heating needs.
Look for ENERGY STAR
Energy Star qualified products meet strict energy efficiency guidelines and offer large savings.
Contractors should be able to show you calculations of savings for Energy Star heating and cooling equipment.
There are many energy rebates available when purchasing new equipment and the contractor should help you understand them.
Expect a home evaluation
The contractor should spend time inspecting your current system and home to assess your needs.
A bigger system isn’t always better; a contractor needs to size the heating and cooling system based on the size of your house, and volume of insulation and windows.
A good contractor will address your duct system and make sure everything is proper.
Ask for referrals and research companies
Ask friends and neighbors for contractor referrals and also ask contractors for references and call them.
Many stories have been done on both NBC’s Dateline and CBS’s 48 Hours exposing fraudulent heating and cooling contractors.
The Better Business Bureau also ranks heating and cooling as one of the highest complaint generating industries.
The BBB is a great way to find contractors, or you can search online to find a company that has positive customer reviews.
Get written proposals
When comparing contractor’s proposals be sure to compare costs, energy efficiency, and warranties.
The lowest price may not be the best deal if it’s not the most efficient because your energy costs will be higher.
Warranties are also very important to consider.
Find special offers
A heating and cooling system is one of the largest purchases you’ll make as a homeowner.
Keep your costs down by checking around for deals and coupons, but remember you get what you pay for.
If you think it’s too cheap, that’s a red flag and it could be a marketing trick.
Conclusion
When you’re ready, Contact Us at 651-294-7798 for honest, reliable, professional and affordable HVAC service!
