Being comfortable improves the quality of life.
It’s hard to even concentrate, much less enjoy anything if you are sweating or shivering. And since most of us live in a place where you need either a heating system or air conditioning (or both!), hiring good residential HVAC contractors is a critical component of our climate control happiness.
What is a residential HVAC contractor?
HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. Essentially, an HVAC system is composed of a furnace, an air conditioner, ductwork, and the systems that interconnects it all.
Residential HVAC contractors provide services related to the installation and maintenance of the common types of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units in a residential home or apartment.
What’s the Difference Between a Residential HVAC Contractor and a Commercial HVAC Contractor?
Residential contractors specialize in installing and servicing heating and cooling systems in homes. Commercial HVAC companies install and service heating and cooling systems in businesses.
Many companies do both, but there are significant differences. Houses are generally smaller and have spaces like kitchens and bedrooms to consider. They are often built with wood framing.
Bigger commercial buildings require significantly higher installation costs, and more sophisticated systems, are more often built with steel and concrete. Plus, they don’t generally consider maintaining perfect temperatures for sleeping or when the humidity levels are not at the ideal level for human comfort, (I.E. too dry in the winter or too humid in the summer).
Residential HVAC Contractor Services
HVAC companies provide comprehensive services that can keep your home or business comfortable all year round. This includes maintenance, repair, installation, and replacement of different HVAC systems.
HVAC companies also provide air duct cleaning, vent and filter replacement, furnace cleaning, and other preventive maintenance tasks. These services ensure that your heating systems and air conditioning system are always running at peak efficiency.
How to Choose an HVAC Contractor
Check Licensing and Certification
When hiring a residential HVAC contractor, it is important to ensure that they are properly licensed, certified, and insured.
Without proper licensing and certification, the quality of work may be compromised, and you may not get the best results from your investment. Furthermore, without proper licensing or certifications, there could be potential legal issues if something goes wrong with the installation or the proper maintenance of your HVAC system.
To ensure you hire a qualified professional for your residential HVAC system, always check their licenses and certifications before signing any contracts. Ask them to provide proof of their qualifications such as certificates from organizations like North American Technician Excellence (NATE) or other industry-recognized bodies.
Additionally, ask for references from previous clients so that you can verify their experience in working with other manufacturers on similar projects. Taking these steps will help ensure that you find an experienced and reliable contractor who can provide quality service at an affordable price.
Check Online Reviews
When researching potential residential HVAC contractors, one of the best ways to find the best HVAC companies is to check online reviews.
Online reviews can provide insights into the customer satisfaction rate, professionalism, and reliability of a contractor. Before making your decision, it is important to read through a variety of reviews to get a more comprehensive understanding of potential HVAC contractors.
First, check the number of reviews. A 5-Star rating means nothing if it is the only review (left by mom!). The best HVAC company would most likely accumulate twice the reviews of a competitor. This shows that either they have more experience or are making efforts to grow their company…both desirable attributes!
Try sorting by rating to get a sense of what customers have liked (or not) with this company and get a sense of the validity. For example, if someone gave a 1-star review to an HVAC company because “their tools were too loud,” don’t put too much stock in that.
On the other hand, if several customers complain that the installation was sloppy, equipment needed repair after repair, or their furnace belches smoke and fire on a regular basis, then…maybe it’s best to find a different more efficient HVAC company.
Conclusion
When selecting a company to handle the installation, repairs, or service of your heating and cooling system, it is important to do your due diligence. Check their licensing and certifications as well as online reviews. Doing this will help you find a reliable contractor who can provide quality service at an affordable price. Additionally, make sure the company has a good track record of customer service, high-quality heating, and air conditioning equipment with top SEER ratings, and offers financing options if needed.
With these tips in mind, you can rest assured that you’ll have found the best possible HVAC solution for your home needs!