 Q: What should I look for in a professional HVAC Contractor?
A: Consider the following:
Reputation – Ask for a list of customers and check references. A call to the Better Business Bureau is worthwhile.
Contractors who are members of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association, and other similar professional contractor groups most likely have a commitment to professional standards and ethical business practices. Check with the HVAC Wholesale Distributor in your area for names of reliable, reputable contractors.
Credentials - Ask about required certifications. Many states, provinces, cities, and towns require HVAC contractors to be licensed; check local requirements and be sure your contractor meets the required standards. Ask about recent training received; new and long-tenured contracting businesses regularly invest in professional HVAC technical training to stay current. North American Technician Excellence (NATE) certification is the HVAC industry’s leading authority for technical certification of HVAC technicians; the industry’s best contractors have some level of NATE certification and proudly display their credentials on their websites and in their advertising. To learn more about NATE certification, please visit www.natex.org or call 1-877-420-NATE.
 Commitment - Look for a dealer you see as active, present, and involved in your local community. You want a local contractor who is close by, who cares about your needs, who has a commitment to your community, and is able to provide fast, reliable, convenient service when you and your family need it. Look for a contractor who will be there in your hometown tomorrow to help you maintain and service what you purchase today.
Q: Why is a Contractor visit important?
A: An HVAC system that’s too small won’t keep your home comfortable and one that is oversized will not maintain acceptable humidity levels or be efficient. Oversized systems cycle (turn on and off) more than necessary; this cycling wastes precious, expensive energy; puts undue strain on components like compressors; and often reduces the expected life of the system.
A professional Contractor will determine the optimal size of HVAC equipment for your home by making a careful study of your cooling requirements by performing a heating and cooling Load Calculation of your structure. A Load Calculation is a scientific process that uses industry-standards that take into account the number of windows and doors in your home, window dimensions, and average number of hours of sun exposure. Subtleties like shade trees and shrubbery in your yard, open floor space, the R-value of wall, floor, and roof insulation, local climate patterns, the design and condition of your current central duct system, number of heat-generating appliances, the type of interior furnishings, number of fireplaces, and many other factors effect in unique ways the heating and cooling requirements of every HVAC system.
Only an in-person home visit by a trained HVAC professional contractor can ensure that you buy the right equipment that your home requires to be safe and efficient for a long time.
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