Top 7 Factors to Consider When Picking HVAC Contractors 

Maybe you need to install a new air conditioner? Perhaps your existing air conditioner is on the fritz? Whatever the case may be, you’re in the process of picking HVAC contractors. 

The question is: what types of characteristics do you need to consider when doing so? Great question! We’ll review the 7 most important characteristics below.

1. Experience

The first thing you’ll want to consider is experience. In most cases, the more experienced a contractor is, the greater level of quality he or she will provide. So, by choosing a contractor with substantial amounts of experience in the field, you’re making a fairly safe bet.

If you’re looking for a company with a ton of experience in the field, you might want to check out: https://5-starplumbing.com/

Make sure that the contractor has ample experience in providing the type of service you need. For instance, if you need HVAC repair, make sure the contractor has HVAC repair experience. If you need HVAC installation, make sure the contractor has HVAC installation experience. 

We recommend choosing a contractor with at least 2 years of experience under his or her belt. This is a long enough time for a contractor to have honed his or her skills and to have established his or her operational processes. 

2. Knowledge

You don’t just want your HVAC contractor to go through the motions. You want him or her to know exactly what’s going on. That way, if something goes awry, your contractor will be able to adjust and make the proper move. 

In short, when comparing HVAC contractors, considering their knowledge is paramount. See, whereas a company like Schneider Mechanical HVAC Repair can tell you exactly what an air conditioner condenser does, another HVAC contractor might not even be able to tell you what an air filter does. 

Quiz your prospective candidates and make sure you’re getting one who’s knowledgeable on the subject. Have a set of questions ready and speak to each candidate over the phone. 

3. Reputation

Every HVAC contractor has a reputation of some kind. But, of course, not all reputations are equal. Some HVAC contractors have a good reputation, some HVAC contractors have a bad reputation, and some are somewhere in the middle of these two poles. 

Your goal is to find an HVAC contractor with a good reputation. If an HVAC contractor has a good reputation, it’s because he or she has consistently provided quality work in the past. 

Wondering how to determine a contractor’s reputation? The key is to use customer review sites like Facebook, Google, and Yelp. Read all of the reviews that are available to you and use them to form an opinion. 

This will help you eliminate the bad, narrow down the middling, and prioritize the good. Take note of star ratings also. Generally speaking, it’s wise to choose a contractor with at least 4 stars out of 5. 

4. Suppliers

If you’re having something installed by an HVAC contractor, you’re going to want to find out who that contractor’s suppliers are. The better the suppliers, the better the quality of the product you’ll receive. 

Most reputable HVAC contractors will get their products from reputable suppliers. But you still want to double-check. 

Some of the most reputable suppliers in the HVAC world are Rheem, Carrier, Bryant, and American Standard. Note, though, that there are a variety of others as well. Do your research! 

5. Warranty

Even the best HVAC contractors are imperfect. They will still make mistakes from time to time. The important thing is that you’re not forced to cover these mistakes yourself. 

This is why, when searching for an HVAC contractor, you need to ensure that he or she offers a warranty. A warranty will ensure that your HVAC unit is repaired free of charge in the event of a mishap. It will prevent you from having to spend even more money. 

Any reputable HVAC contractor will offer a warranty. Some of these warranties will last for a year, some will last for 3 years, and some might even last for 5 years. Compare them against one another and choose one that you like. 

6. Certification

In the vast majority of US states, HVAC contractors are required to possess HVAC certification. This certification indicates that the contractor knows what he or she is doing and that he or she has demonstrated the capacity to complete the work at hand. 

Certification often also indicates that the contractor is properly insured. Insurance is important in the event that the contractor damages your property or in the event that one of the contractor’s employees gets injured on your property. 

As such, before signing any contracts, you need to see proof of certification. Many states offer license lookup tools that allow you to obtain this proof. Just go to Google and type in “[name of state] license lookup tool”. 

Once there, type in the name of your contractor and see what licenses pop up. If an HVAC license shows, you’ll know that he or she is good to go. 

7. Cost

Not all HVAC contractors charge equally. Some will do a project for $1,500. Others will do the same project for $4,500. There’s no regulation on how much an HVAC contractor can charge. 

As such, when searching for HVAC contractors, you need to obtain estimates. This way, you’ll know just how much you have to spend. There will be no surprises after the fact. 

Not to mention, you’ll be able to compare different contractors against one another. After all, why pay $4,500 when you could pay $3,500?

Note, when comparing estimates, you should be a little skeptical of extremely low ones. If an estimate is ridiculously low, it’s likely because the contractor is lacking in some way. 

Picking HVAC Contractors Is Easy

In truth, picking HVAC contractors is easy. Consider the characteristics reviewed above and you should end up with the perfect contractor. 

If you’re looking for information on finding other types of contractors, our website can help you. Take a look at some of our other articles right now!