MY PROCESS |
1) Has a good reputation
It pays to seek out contractor with consistently good reviews. Check out potential contractors on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website. The BBB is good third party that rates businesses on an A+ to F scale. Companies featured here such as PFO Heating and Air Conditioning have quality reviews. 2) Is properly certified An HVAC company should hire North American Technician Excellence (NATE) certified technicians. This tells you that the company hires technicians who are efficient, knowledgeable and professional. 3) Surveys your home, then estimates cost. A contractor should always come out to your place to survey your home (this includes checking your air ducts for leaks) before they make any definite estimations. Anyone who tries to give you estimations over the phone before checking your home might be trying to pull the old bait and switch. In other words, they’ll give you a low estimation over the phone and then jack up the price when they come to your home. 4) Won’t discourage you from buying higher efficiency equipment Contractors who don’t stay up to date with the latest HVAC technology might discourage you from buying higher efficiency equipment because they don't know how to install it. A quality contractor will always be able to install the latest energy efficient models and can explain to you how much money those models can save you. |
5) Can give you annual heating and cooling costs
Using heat-load and cooling-load calculations, a good contractor can estimate your home’s annual energy bills for the equipment they are suggesting you install. 6) Probably won’t have the lowest prices Please don’t start your search looking for the lowest price. You’re almost guaranteed to find a fly-by-night freelance contractor who works out of his home, and is unlicensed and uninsured. He’ll most likely install your equipment improperly, which will contribute to higher energy bills. You should consider price after you’ve narrowed your choices down to 2-3 quality contractors (which is what this list will help you do). 7) Belongs to a professional association Look for contractors that belong to the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA). You can go to the ACCA website and search for contractors in your area that are ACCA Quality Assured. 8) Does not make assumptions about equipment sizing Your current equipment might be improperly sized, which contributes to higher energy bills. With that in mind, a quality contractor won’t assume that he or she should replace your HVAC equipment with the same size unless proper measurements have been taken. |
State Of The Art SystemsNight Breeze is a new home climate control technology designed to save energy in hot, dry climates. It is essentially a powered whole-house fan, air conditioner, and indirect water heater integrated under one control system. In the summer, the system draws in as much cool outdoor air as possible to meet cooling needs — the air conditioner only kicks on if absolutely necessary. In the winter, a water-to-air heat exchanger extending from the water heater supplies warm air to the system.
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