What to look for when hiring an HVAC professional

Work with air conditioning contractors

When it comes to a breakdown in your central heating and air conditioning equipment, you don’t want to struggle to find honest, trustworthy help when you’re pressured to find relief from sweltering heat or bitter cold. Right away, you should know that you are receiving help from a qualified and trained professional capable of handling any repair or situation that comes your way. You may be wondering who you can trust and what you can expect them to do for you, or whether it’s worth calling a local service provider. These questions can be easily answered and give you the desired results for whatever service you need.

When should you call a local service provider?

Some homeowners may attempt to repair their air conditioning system on their own without having a good understanding of how to deal with larger problems. If you’re trying to work on your own furnace, air conditioning system, or heat pump, look for these notable signs that may indicate a larger problem that would be best handled by a professional.

Kiln

• If your heating system is older, 15 years or older, it may need to be replaced. normally the first 4 digits of the serial number will give you the year and week of manufacture.
• If he is making strange and abnormal noises.
• If cold air comes out.
• If a carbon monoxide detector alarm is sounding in your home. It is recommended that homeowners with natural gas appliances have several of these in bedrooms and other places in the house.

Air conditioning system

• If your air conditioning system is 15 years old or older, it may be more cost effective to replace it than to repair it.
• If your system uses R22. The EPA has ordered all R22 manufacturing to stop, driving up the cost and price per pound in your area.
• Continued breakdowns year after year may indicate a larger problem that a contractor is better equipped to handle.

heat pump

• If any unit, indoor or outdoor, does not work well
• If temperatures remain uniform throughout the house.

Find a qualified contractor

In this internet-driven age, most homeowners will pull out their smartphone and research local contractors in their area. Many search engines like Google will provide all information in a concise format, providing reviews, website information, and contact information. Yelp is also a great resource for owners to read reviews and feedback provided by the business owner or management. Even businesses with multiple negative reviews help owners see how the business handles conflict resolution and help you know what to expect. The number of reviews is not always the best representation of that company’s customer service. Look at the quality of each review describing the consumer experience.

A quick search on https://www.tdlr.texas.gov will also provide information on a potential contractor. This is the governing and licensing agency for all contractors in Texas. All advertising material and websites must include the contractor’s license number. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation will provide information on the licensee and their current status. The following guidelines below will also help you find a qualified and reliable contractor.

know who to trust

Most homeowners want to find someone they trust, who is trustworthy and who they can call on in the future if the need arises. Here are some tips to ensure you get quality workmanship from a contractor. Make sure they are qualified! A contractor who is licensed and insured will have no problem presenting proof of this to a prospective client. Don’t be afraid to ask if they are licensed and insured. Insurance is required by the state to protect both the contractor and the consumer. Knowing this information beforehand works for both parties involved. If you can’t find this information readily available on your website (usually in the footer or at the bottom of the home page near your contact information), feel free to ask.

If an air conditioning contractor has additional certifications, that information will usually be present on their website. NATE technicians are the industry gold standard in technical competency. NATE stands for North American Technical Excellence. Testing and certification for NATE is rigorous and comprehensive, ensuring that you are dealing with someone who is capable of troubleshooting and knowledge of air conditioning systems.

Contractor price matters!

One of the biggest determinants for most homeowners when it comes to repair or replacement options for central heating and air conditioning is price. Neither the highest nor the lowest price is an indication of quality or value. Most contractors work very hard to minimize cost or find profitable solutions that work for their clients’ needs. Smaller businesses or family-owned and operated teams will generally provide high-quality work and be more competitive than larger businesses that rely on a certain volume of sales to cover the cost of their high overheads.

However, just as important as the price is the guarantee. You want the security of knowing that your air conditioning repair is supported by the company that performed the work. This also shows that the contractor also has faith in his own work. A good contractor will also have a contingency built into most repair estimates, or may choose to offer you good, better, and better repair or replacement options. Not all customers want the same or the same level of service on every call. A good contractor also won’t discuss prices over the phone until they’ve had a chance to assess the situation or diagnose the problem.

size is important

If you are looking to replace the system, a contractor must provide an assessment of the size of your home. Making sure your home’s air conditioning system is the right size is important to your comfort when it comes to single-stage systems and entry-level models of air conditioning systems. Units with a higher SEER rating or multistage or variable speed units will provide superior comfort than most entry-level models and will save on your utility bill as well. A good contractor will provide several options and will be able to explain the difference and benefits of each system. Ask what methods the contractor used to determine the required size of the air conditioning system for your home. Quality contractors use Manual J software, door blower tests, HER testers (for new construction, required in certain areas), and other technologies to determine this.

What does a contractor do?

Once you’ve found a contractor you can work with, you may be wondering what to expect while they work on your home. A contractor will typically carry out these tasks during installation, repair, or maintenance.

• Equipment should always be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications, using industry best practices.
• Connection systems to different fuel and water lines.
• Connection of air conditioning ducts and sealing to prevent air loss.
• Installation of electrical controls and wiring in accordance with code.
• Carrying out tests on the equipment and controls during and after start-up.
• Inspect and evaluate any type of HVAC system.
• Test individual parts of the system to isolate and diagnose what needs repair.
• Replace or repair what is broken or defective.
• Perform routine maintenance to ensure the HVAC system runs efficiently year-round.
• Replacement of filters and cleaning of drain lines to maintain the efficiency of your system.
• Annual or quarterly condenser coil cleaning
• Cleaning evaporator coils periodically or as needed.
• Tightening electrical connections or tabs, or periodically replacing components that are worn and may cause major problems in the future for components connected to the electrical supply.

Quality contractors will generally employ sophisticated tools that are essential to the function, performance, and reliability of your systems. They will also typically discuss the industry best practices they employ to ensure the reliability of your system. Vacuum pumps, recovery machines, acetylene torches, and combustion analyzers are tools often used by good contractors.