An HVAC system is probably one of the most expensive appliances to have in a home or a workplace. It is a unit that requires high maintenance and repairs and most of the time it gets quite costly. An HVAC unit contains a heating and cooling unit and also an air conditioning unit. So how can you secure the best HVAC contractor? Below are 10 eligible tips that you can look into when getting a contactor;
1. License / Certification
If the contractor is from a company, you can easily see their licensing and certifications from their website. If the contractor is a freelance worker, ensure that they present you with their certifications because this will act as proof of qualifications and you can be assured of standard work.
2. Insurance
Repairs or installations of an HVAC system can be quite dangerous sometimes. Therefore, if you need to hire a contractor make sure that they have proof of being insured by a trusted insurance company. This will cover them if anything was to happen to them while they were at work in your home. Generally, an insurance cover is also evidence that the contractor can be trusted.
3. Prior home visits.
A legitimate HVAC contractor visits the home before doing the repairs. This enables the contractor to identify the problems in the HVAC system including the ones the owner could not have identified when alone. This also shows that the contractor is not just there for your money but is ready to give you quality services. Another good thing with contractors’ prior visits before the actual repair day is that they will be able to write a clean draft of the items they need to purchase for the repair process.
4. Get recommended
If you have friends or even family members you can trust and have had an experience with a contractor before, you can ask them. This is quite important because their reviews will help you rate the contractor’s services even before you hire them.
5. Company reviews
When hiring a contractor from a specific company, it is quite a great tip to check their reviews on the company’s website. Honestly, no one wants to hire a contractor from a company with poor reviews. Therefore it is important to see other people’s comments and reviews on the services of the contractors of a specific company.
6. Put it down on paper
Before hiring an HVAC contractor, ensure that all the proposals are written and signed. It is quite important to do this in case of any future doubts. The written proposals are also quite important because they cover documentation like warranty and one can use proposals for comparison among the companies and choose the best!
7. Experience
This is one of the fundamental things you should look at before hiring an HVAC contractor. You do not want to work with a technician with less experience. A contractor with much more experience is better compared to one with less or none. This is because you hire this contractor with the belief that maybe they have come across the same problem before and that you do not expect mistakes that could have been easily avoided by hiring an experienced contractor.
8. Location
As hard as it can be when it comes to choosing an HVAC contractor, one should also consider the location of the contractor to avoid unnecessary shipping and transport costs. Also, having a contractor who is close to your home or workplace (depending on where you have the HVAC system) is important. It becomes so easy to operate with the contractor if you have any problems with your unit that need to be fixed fast hence solving the issue of non-availability or being inconvenienced.
9. Confirm your doubts
If you know that your HVAC system has an issue and the issue is not identified by the contractor, make sure to ask them for confirmation rather than just staying and suffering from a non-functional HVAC system.
10. Trust your instincts
Sometimes when inviting anyone to your house you have to be very cautious. I say this because a contractor might have all the needed qualifications. However, if the homeowner is not comfortable having the contractor in their home, it is okay to decline their services based on that fact.
With all that said, hiring the best HVAC contractor is a decision the homeowner should make.
Roles of an HVAC contractor
- A complete system check.
- Change the air filters
- Check for the proper wiring of the system’s connection
- Clean the condenser coils and the compressor
- Confirm if the vents have been placed where there is enough airflow.
Maintenance Practises for an HVAC System during Winter and Summer
During winter
- Replace the air filters in the HVAC system regularly.
- Turn off all the sources of power before trying to perform any maintenance. This enables the blower to stop and avoid any accidents.
- Check the vent pipe for any rust accumulations.
- Ensure that your unit does not produce any unusual sounds during operation.
- Assess your thermostat to make sure it reaches the required room temperature.
During summer
- Keeping the air filters changed during summer is also quite important. This is because the filters trap air pollutants preventing them from spreading in your home.
- Ensure that your condenser coils are clean to let the cool air in your home be evenly distributed.
- Cleaning the air ducts in your HVAC system to ensure sufficient airflow in the unit.
- Proper placing of vents in areas with minimum obstructions like furniture in the rooms.
- Make sure that the wiring of the HVAC system is in its correct order and not overheated or nakedly exposed.
- Manage the levels of the refrigerant such that it is not too low. Also, check out for any leaks of the refrigerant.
- Use a calibrated thermostat. This should be done by a professional who makes sure the thermostat is correctly reading the room’s temperature.