What Questions Should I Ask?

State licensing is the minimum requirement to operate a heating and air conditioning company. Licensing protects the public, including you. Unlicensed companies are unaccountable to regulators and often unavailable if things go wrong. Ask for a license number. It is the first step to knowing you are dealing with a reputable Company.

NATE is the North American Technician Excellence program. It is the heating and air conditioning industry’s certification body for technical knowledge. NATE certified technicians are the best trained and highest quality service and installation providers in the industry.

General liability and insurance protects you. Most companies will be insured, but not all are. Ask about Worker’s Compensation and Liability insurance. Don’t take the risk. Ask about insurance. Companies that do not carry these two fundamental insurances are a danger to do business with.

One in five heating and cooling companies goes out of business every year. The best way to predict whether a company will be around long enough to honor its warranty promise to you is whether the company has been around in the past. Most reputable companies state their business tenure. Beware of companies that have been around for only a short while, or close due to a poor reputation and reopen with a new name.

Fly-by-night heating and cooling companies and uninsured moonlighters rarely have a business address. Most stable air conditioning companies operate from an office and shop facility.

Not only does a better guarantee give you longer peace of mind, but better guarantees are offered by better companies. Manufacturer warranties vary from product to product and extended warranties remove all concerns of repair cost for up to ten years.

You may not need financing, but you should still look for companies that offer financing because it shows their concern for affordability and shows that the company can meet the financial qualifications necessary to offer financing.

Good companies perform engineering calculations based on the Air Conditioning Contractors of America’s (ACCA) “Manual J,” to ensure the equipment they provide is the right size (oversizing a furnace or air conditioner is just as bad as undersizing one). Improperly sized heating and air conditioning systems are all too common.

When you are replacing an air conditioner or heat pump, it is important to replace both the outdoor unit and indoor components together, as a matched set. Otherwise, you will get reduced efficiency and increased breakdowns. Good contractors insist on proper matching to ensure stated efficiencies are achieved and future breakdowns are minimized.

A wide variety of options exist for heating and cooling your home. Good companies present you with choices in product, efficiency, features, filtration, controls, and financing.

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