Choosing An HVAC Contractor: 5 Things You Should Know About The One You Hire

Choosing An HVAC Contractor: 5 Things You Should Know About The One You HireWhen you’re choosing an HVAC contractor, a little research beforehand can make a big difference later: Take as much time as you need to thoroughly vet your options. Whether you’ll hire them for routine maintenance or installation of a brand-new system, the contractor you choose will be working with one of the most expensive components of your home. You want someone reliable, knowledgeable, skilled and experienced — someone who respects your home and your investment.

Seek recommendations from friends and relatives to begin your search. After you’ve identified some promising options, choosing an HVAC contractor means asking a lot of questions — of the contractors themselves as well as of customers they’ve worked with in the past and of licensing bodies.

Here are five things you should know about the heating and cooling contractor you hire:

  • What’s the status of their licenses with the city and county? Ask the contractor to show you their licenses, and verify their current status with your local jurisdictions.
  • What do their past customers say about them? Any good contractor should provide at least three references from former customers. Call those customers, and ask about their experiences. Did the contractor communicate well during the entire project? Did the technicians clean up after themselves? How are those past customers’ HVAC systems performing now?
  • What would your contract involve? Would it detail the materials to be used, the work to be performed, a specific timeline and all costs? Would it require a down payment from you? Would you have a right to cancel the contract within a reasonable time frame? How would payments be scheduled?
  • Does the contractor plan to secure any necessary building permits, or would they leave that up to you?
  • Does the contractor employ certified heating and cooling technicians? Technicians certified by the North American Technician Excellence, or NATE, program have passed rigorous testing and demonstrated a high level of real-world working knowledge in the HVAC field.

At Overland Park Heating & Cooling, we welcome questions about our qualifications and experience. If you’re seeking a contractor to perform system maintenance, repair, design or installation, contact us today.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about Choosing An HVAC Contractor and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Overland Park Heating & Cooling services Overland Park and surrounding areas in Kansas. Visit our website to see our special offersand get started today!      

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