Another important thing to remember is that heating and cooling systems that are taken for granted reduce their energy efficiency by up to 25 percent. In addition, the air quality in your home will also be reduced. Some of the contributing factors include clogged filters, leaky ductwork, dirty thermostats and fan motors that are not regularly lubricated. Although some of the maintenance works are just simple to do, the others need the skillful hands of a HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) professional.
If you’re planning on getting a HVAC specialist, do a little research beforehand. When looking for a company, choose one that not only provides services but designs as well as installs the type of heating and cooling systems that you have. Companies that offer full services are normally updated on the latest technology. A good sign of a quality provider is that it has a hotline or emergency number which you can contact 24 hours a day, every day of the week. A company must also have sufficient number of technicians to do service calls promptly and policies on liability insurance and workers’ compensation.
It’s also best to get referrals from neighbors, friends and other family members who may have used a good company for several years. Ask them how the maintenance work improved their systems, how the technicians worked such as if they were on time and they cleaned up after work and how quickly did they complete the task.
When you’ve decided on the company, make sure to arrange for service calls before the heating or cooling season begins. Scheduling for an appointment is more flexible and you’ll get more attention as well. You have to understand, though, that delays may occur from time to time as customer emergencies can just happen any time and day.
Don’t be ashamed to ask about the fees for service calls. It’s normal that many HVAC professionals charge a certain fee for visiting your house and giving an estimate using hvac estimating software. The fees are legitimate and are sometimes very minimal.
An HVAC professional must also have a license so do ask to see it when the specialist comes to your home. Check as well if the company has insurance which should be stipulated in the contract. You can also request for the name and number of their insurance company if you want to verify. The insurance is necessary in covering for general liability, workers’ compensation and property damage.
Other essential details you may ask from the company and the HVAC contractor include the permit needed for the work, written guarantees for parts and labor and a written statement for the work performed.
Finally, if you liked the performance of the HVAC specialist you hired, it would be best if you maintain a good relationship with that person so you won’t have difficulty looking for a new one the next time.
