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How to Choose an HVAC Contractor

How to Choose an HVAC Contractor

Find Out Where YOUR Home is Losing Energy:

Schedule An Energy Audit

There are lots of air conditioning companies in the HVAC industry, and choosing the right one can be a real challenge if you don’t know what you need to consider. This article will help you choose an HVAC agent that has the right training, qualifications and certifications to do the job right – and safely.

You also want to know that your HVAC agent has a good track record, so you have the peace of mind that you’re hiring a trustworthy HVAC technician to install, service or repair your system.

Which Qualifications to Look For?

There are a number of qualifications and trade associations for the HVAC industry, but to ensure that you’re dealing with a first class professional, look for the following credentials:

You can find qualified contractors from each of these associations by clicking the links above.

Ask For Referrals

One of the best things to do when looking for an HVAC company is to ask for recommendations from your friends. This way, you’ll have your friend’s first-hand experience with the company to know about the quality of the installation, cleanliness, punctuality, and any other issues. You may also hear about companies to avoid, so you can weed out the bad apples in your area.

Read Testimonials Online

You can also read testimonials from the HVAC company’s previous clients. It’s best to look on sites like Angie’s List or ServiceMagic (or any local directories) – as opposed to the contractor’s own website – to get a fair and balanced mix of reviews. The longer, more detailed reviews will give you the best information.

Ask for References

Once you’ve narrowed your search to a few HVAC companies, ask them for some references – and call them! Politely ask if you can take a few minutes of their time to ask about the contractor. Have them explain what work was done, what they liked about the service, and what they didn’t like. Ask if they would use the contractor again or recommend them to their best friend.

Do They Upgrade Their Training?

Technology changes fast in the HVAC industry, and the knowledge they had a year or two ago may be obsolete now. Ask if the HVAC technicians in the company receive ongoing training on the latest techniques and technology in the HVAC industry. Many manufacturers provide training for contractors on proper installation, maintenance and repair techniques for their specific equipment. Did the contractor you’re considering hiring attend manufacturer training sessions recently?

Do They Sell What You Want?

Many HVAC contractors will sell only one or two brands of HVAC systems. Do they sell a brand that you trust? Or more importantly, are they trained to install the brand or type of system that you want? How much experience do they have installing and servicing the type of HVAC equipment you need?

Background Checks?

Better HVAC companies perform background checks on their HVAC technicians before hiring them to try and maximize your safety and security. Ask what measures they put in place to ensure your peace of mind.

While bad experiences with contractors sometimes happen, if you follow the advice given above you can greatly increase your chance of having a great experience with the next HVAC company you hire.

Other HVAC solutions:

We were unaware of what was involved in an energy audit and your audior took the time to explain everything. We were impressed with the report which told us the areas in which we need to take action on. He never pressured us to use any particular contractors, he just suggested that we go to the Building Energy Pros web site to select contractors of our own choice. He did an excellent job and we HIGHLY recommend the Building Energy Pros. We already have recommended them to several of our neighbors. Again, EXCELLENT JOB!
Cynthia Simpson

The Building Energy Pros auditor was very knowledgeable. I was VERY HAPPY with him. He promptly E-mailed my energy audit report to me and I will consider all of his recommendations.
Tom McGee

We found out that our house really has no energy problems. We are happy to know that we
Leslie Stewart

I was very satisfied with your energy auditor. He was very qualified and spent a great deal of time with me. The energy audit was very informative.
P.B.

The energy auditor was very good and helpful. He keeps in touch with me to answer any of my questions.
D.G.

I was very satisfied with my energy audit. The auditor gave me some tips on attic insulation that were very helpful.
R.G.

I was very satisfied with my energy audit. Thank you!
R.S.

Very good service! I am going to replace the windows as the auditor had suggested.
D.W.

I was very happy with the energy audit. THANKS!
A. M.

My energy audit was very helpful. Joe Dempsey, your auditor, identified some structural problems that I was not aware of and explained to me why I need more insulation.
J. F.

The auditor was EXCELLENT! He spent ALOT of time with me. I am going to take 3 to 4 of his suggestions and correct these small items to save on my energy bills.
M. B.

The auditor did a GREAT JOB! He knew a lot about older homes, which we have. The report was very comprehensive. Thank you!
Vicki Nez/at

Your energy auditor was very nice and helpful. He answered all of our questions. We will recommend Building Energy Pros to our friends and neighbors.
Katherine McCaffrey

The auditor did a TERRIFIC JOB! The report was FANTASTIC! I will make all the repairs he suggested. I will definitely recommend him to everyone I know that could benefit from a home energy audit.
Steve Sleigh, Chevy Chase

The energy auditor was very professional and I am very satisfied with both the energy audit and the report I received. I will be referring the Building Energy Pros.
Tim Clary

I was very satisfied with the auditor. He was great and gave me some very valuable information. I will refer him to people I know who may need a home energy audit.
Willie Gantt

Your home energy audit proved to be very informative and helpful. I was not aware of the updraft created inside our walls because of the balloon framing construction. You said that that can cause heat to be pulled out of the house with the draft going up inside the walls and should be re-mediated. You also said that the attic insulation was insufficient and that fiberglass batts can leave spaces for around the edges causing heat loss and that it should have blown in insulation on top of what was there to seal the whole attic and increase the r factor. After going over your findings and telling me how you would fix the problems you told me how I could do it myself with stuff from the Home Center and for a quarter of the cost. Well, I did. I went into the basement and filled the bottom of the wall joist with unfaced insulation where they set on the sill plate. I then cut one inch foam board the size for each space and set it in and the sealed the edges of that with expanding foam as well as the sill plate to the foundation. I also sealed the sill plate to the foundation where the joist ran along it, as well as the top of those joist where it made contact with the subflooring. Next I went to the home center and rented their blown insulation machine and got ten bales of the insulation. I filled the attic on top of the batt insulation with about six inches giving another r-19 factor on top of the r-19 that was there. You said that the blown in would also help seal the heat loss around the edges of the batt. The work in the basement cost $144.00 and the work in the attic cost $328.00. After the 30% federal energy tax credit it will end up costing me about $330.00, which you said I should recover in savings in the first year. Thank You for all your advice and expertise. You made me aware of things I should consider and did.
Tommy Thompson