Finding the right HVAC contractor is the key to ensuring your heating and cooling system runs efficiently and provides consistent whole-home comfort. An experienced contractor will keep you abreast of the latest innovations and energy-efficiency strategies in the industry. But how do you know you’re hiring the best HVAC contractor in your area?
The following tips can help you find an HVAC contractor you can trust, who will provide reliable and competitively priced service for the lifetime of your heating and cooling equipment.
Licensed and insured
Make sure your contractor is licensed, bonded, and insured. You can verify the license with your local building department. A license demonstrates a commitment to the profession and compliance with industry standards and regulations in your jurisdiction. Bonding and insurance gives you a means of legal and financial recourse in case anything is remiss in their services.
Ask for referrals
Ask your family, friends and neighbors whom they use. Advertising dollars help to get a contractor’s name out there, but word-of-mouth referrals are the best advertisement of all. If you hear a particular contractor’s name mentioned positively more than once, put that company at the top of your list when requesting a bid.
Physical inspection
No HVAC contractor should provide a bid for an installation or major repair over the phone without visiting your home and inspecting your current system. This is especially true if you are replacing heating or cooling equipment. A physical inspection is necessary to get the load calculations required to size your equipment adequately. If you get a quote over the phone, sight unseen, you can scratch that contractor off your list.
Organized bids
Once you receive your bids, they should be presented on professional letterhead of some kind. The prices should be organized line by line, and clearly identifiable by category: parts, labor, warranty, extra service options, etc. Make sure you get a handful of quotes and compare them line by line. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you notice significant price discrepancies.
Contact James Lane Air Conditioning & Plumbing to hire a licensed and experienced HVAC contractor to service your Wichita Falls area home.
