The air conditioning plays a big role in maintaining comfort in the home. That is why it is important that you’re hiring an experienced professional if you’re experiencing problems with the unit. You should never look at the cost alone as that doesn’t paint the whole picture. A company that is suspiciously cheap will be a cause of concern. It is either you’re dealing with inexperienced professionals or there are hidden charges which you will only find out about when the repair or installation is complete. So what qualities should you look out for when selecting an air conditioning company?
Certification
You should make sure you’re only dealing with certified professionals. Such technicians will have thoroughly been trained on the best practices when doing the repairs or installations. To ensure that you’re only working with certified professionals, ask for NATE certifications. A good company will invest in continuous education for its technicians because modern technology is becoming obsolete quickly.
Experience
One of the ways you can gauge the experience of the company is by looking at the number of years that they’ve been operational. The more the years, the more the experience. A technician might have been trained well but lacks the experience to deal with some of the common challenges associated with HVAC units. There are a lot of companies that claim to be experienced but you don’t want to find out the hard way. Make sure that the company has more than five years of experience.
Reviews
Even though reviews can be faked, they can still point you in the right direction when looking for a reliable HVAC company. Ideally, you should look at the reviews from third-party websites like BBB and Yelp. It will be hard to hide the complaints of disgruntled customers. A company with a lot of complaints will be a cause of concern. A good company will strive to make sure than even a few complaints are being addressed. This gives you the confidence that you won’t have to do a lot of follow up when there is an issue with the service.
Location
The location of the company matters a great deal. You should be looking for a company that is based in your area. You shouldn’t have to wait for hours when you have an emergency situation. Working with someone local is convenient. There is also the guarantee that they won’t disappear with your money since they have a reputation to maintain. A company like Bulldog Air Conditioning & Heating will ensure that there is an immediate response to the emergency situation.
Areas of Specialty
Not all AC systems are the same and the requirements could also be different. This is where experience will also come in. A person who has been repairing AC units for some time will most likely have handled different units from different manufacturers. They will quickly diagnose potential problems and come up with a working solution.
Customer Service
You might get an experienced HVAC company but they have the worst customer service you’ve ever encountered. Working with such a company can be challenging. There will always be issues with communication and the job won’t be done on time. You need to look for a company with stellar customer support. They should be able to respond to your queries in a timely fashion. This will come in handy in an emergency situation.
Satisfaction Guarantee
A good company should be able to stand behind their work. That means a good day’s work can only be judged when the customer is happy. There are not a lot of companies that will offer a satisfaction guarantee because they don’t know what they’re dealing with in the first place.
Upfront Pricing
You don’t want to be ambushed by the price after the job is complete. After doing an assessment, the company should provide an estimate of how much the job is going to take. Make sure you have everything in writing as there are some companies that could change the terms of the agreement at the last minute. A good company should be able to break down the costs so that you’re aware of what exactly you’re paying for.
To sum it up, doing your due diligence is important as you don’t want to end up working with just any other contractor. Make sure that the company is also bonded and insured as you never know what could happen.
