Whether in the winter or during the summer, you want your HVAC system to give you the comfort you expect year-round. No matter what the thermometer reads, you want to come home to a place where you don’t have to worry about the weather. However, this is not always the case, and emergencies usually happen at the worst possible time. You don’t want to urgently look for HVAC repair in Minneapolis when your unit has died on you. It is much more convenient to have a working relationship with a reliable HVAC service company than to scramble to find someone who can come out and do an emergency repair. Read on to get some tips on how to find a good HVAC service provider, one that will get to know you and your equipment and be able to take care of your HVAC needs should a problem arise.
Determine Your Current Situation
It is useful to start by having some information on your equipment. Your technician will want to know how old the unit is, what type of maintenance it has received, what repairs it has required in the past, and what rooms feel either too hot or too cold. This will help you when you interview potential candidates and be useful in determining whether they are familiar with the equipment you have.
Start With Referrals
Ask family members and friends about their HVAC service company. You want someone who gets to your house when promised, finishes the job on time and sticks to the figure they quoted you. You also want someone with experience in both the type of equipment you have and the type of issues you tend to experience.
Verify Their Credentials
Every state has specific requirements for contractor licenses, bonding, and insurance. Make sure the company you are considering hiring meets all of the state’s requirements. If you want to double-check, make sure you go to your state’s contractors’ board and verify their license is current and valid. If you are concerned about the liability insurance coverage they carry, a reputable contractor should have no problem providing you with this information.
Ask For References And Verify Them
A good solid contractor will have no problem sharing with you two or three references of customers where they have recently done work. Call each one of them and ask them about their experience with this contractor, how well and cleanly they worked, how punctual they were, how satisfied they are with the contractor, whether they stuck to their budget and any other concerns that you might have in mind.
Look At Their Reviews
It is easy to read contractors’ reviews on sites such as Better Business Bureau and Yelp or on social media pages. You can learn more about their reputation as well as about what their customers have to say about the different issues they have had with their HVAC equipment and how this contractor has addressed them.
Ask For A Proposal In Writing
When you finally make your decision, ask them to give you a written proposal that you can both review and sign before work begins. You want a proposal that specifies costs, work schedules, model numbers, warranty information, payment information, and other relevant details that will protect you in case a problem arises. If they do not want to provide a written estimate or proposal or keep giving you excuses as to why they have not done so, choose a different HVAC service company.
Ultimately, it may seem easier to just go with a contractor that shows up while you are checking your social media pages. However, taking the time to find the perfect contractor may mean a difference between not really being sure that the job will get done well and having peace of mind.
You may also want to talk to your HVAC contractor about regular maintenance for your equipment. After all, this is something you use year-round, and having to replace it will mean an investment.
Having a long-term relationship with your contractor may serve to extend the life of your system. Ask them about preventive maintenance and whether they would offer you a package price for having your HVAC checked twice a year, before summer and winter. This way, you can avoid the stress of having the machine break down at the most inconvenient time.
Follow Home Inside for more!