How to Choose the Right Heating and Air Conditioning Contractor

I hope you are enjoying this holiday season. As I write this article I look out my office window and I am just in awe over the beautiful colors of fall. I can’t think of a more wonderful place to live than right here in good ole North Carolina. So here we are with another year ahead of us. I can’t believe how time flies. This is the time of year when many of us make our New Year’s resolutions. We all have the best intentions, but here comes reality and well; you know the rest of that story. That’s what makes life interesting I guess. As a homeowner myself, my resolution is to finish last year’s resolutions. Anyone else out there feel the pain besides me? We just need more hours in the day.

I recently attended a business seminar and the speaker said something that really hit home with me. He said “Never start a new project or task until you finish the one you are working on.” I highlighted that phrase and I have committed to it. Since returning from that seminar I have finished several projects and it feels GREAT! How about you? Have you got those “Honey Do” lists that keep growing and growing? Don’t feel bad, we all have them. Remember, it’s a new year so Let’s Get To It!

Are you concerned as much as I am about the high energy cost to heat and cool your home? It seems like every time we open our utility bills there is a big surprise waiting for us inside. I want to help you save as much as possible on your next bill.

As you may already know from my previous articles with The Heritage Magazine, I am a licensed mechanical contractor located right here in Raleigh, North Carolina. Many times when we visit a customer for the first time, there are problems with their heating and cooling equipment and the customer didn’t even realize it. “It came on when it was supposed to, it seemed to heat OK, but my gas bills seem very high.” We hear that all the time. When our technicians open up the unit and show the rust, dirt, and grime inside their equipment, all of the sudden the light comes on. A furnace or air conditioner that has not been properly serviced and cleaned can cost you up to 50% of energy savings. If you haven’t had your system serviced yet, don’t wait any longer. Save those operating dollars! If your equipment is 8-10 years or older you may want to consider a more energy efficient system. Here is the big question… Who do I Call? Can I trust them? Are they looking out for my best interests or theirs? Believe me, I understand your line of questioning. Just the thought of dealing with the sales process can be a turn off. Let’s face it, how many of us have come home from buying a new car and made the statement “What a wonderful experience, I can’t wait to do it again.” Not Me! I told my wife after our last experience with buying our car that if we ever buy another car; she would have to do it solo. The sales person would just not listen to us. That’s not the way the sales process should work.

OK, back to the original question. Who do I call? After 35 years in the heating and air conditioning business I have listened to the many concerns from homeowners. Let me share a few tips on selecting the RIGHT company for you.

You definitely want a company that has experience in the HVAC industry. This is a skilled trade that requires knowledge in electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and refrigeration. Don’t be afraid to ask how many years they have been in the business. Check their credentials. Call or go on-line to the Better Business Bureau. See how many, if any, complaints have been filed against them and if the complaint was addressed and satisfied the plaintiff. Ask if they are NATE certified. (North American Technician Excellence) This is the leading certification program for technicians in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration industry and is the only test that is supported by the entire industry. I call it “Top Gun.” You want to make sure that the contractor is licensed by the state in which they operate. Believe it or not, there are individuals out there that will sell you a system at an unbelievably low price. There is normally a reason for that low price, Such as no general liability insurance and no license. You know what I say… RUN! Your must protect your investment as well as your life. A non-licensed contractor cannot get a permit which means no inspection which means Accident Waiting To Happen! A licensed contractor knows that a permit is required on every job. This will also give you peace of mind that everything has been properly installed and is safe to operate. If a contractor says a permit is not necessary, there is your “red flag.” Don’t go any further because he or she is wasting your valuable time at this point.

Ask for references. A customer’s testimony is worth its weight in gold, good or bad. Find out if their employees have had a proper criminal background check, been drug tested, and driving records reviewed before hiring them. Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as necessary for you to feel comfortable with whom you choose to work for you. Remember, they will be working for you.

The internet is a great resource to research a heating and air conditioning company. Take some time and visit their website. They may have links to their products and equipment for you to view. Many of our new customers have found us through our website. Our website is www.bschvac.com. Check us out!

If a sales person visits with you, there are several things that you should expect. He or she should listen to your comfort concerns. They should evaluate your existing HVAC system and ductwork. You should expect them to measure your home in order to run a proper load calculation in order to size the equipment. Sizing of equipment is not guess work. I can’t tell you how many times a customer has told me, “Oh by the way the company that was here earlier looked at my existing unit and he said it was a 3 ton unit, so that is what he would be pricing up for me.” You know what I say… RUN! As I mentioned before, this is not guess work here. A lot of work will go into the preparation of an estimate. In my business, I can tell you that I will average 4 hours of office time putting a typical proposal together, which brings me to my next point. Get it in writing! I learned this lesson the hard way. It goes way back to when I bought my first house. It was my pride and joy, even if it was a “fixer upper.” One of the first things it needed was a new roof. Well, I didn’t know anyone in the roofing business so I looked in the yellow pages. I called three roofing companies and scheduled an appointment with each one. Out of those three, only one actually came by to meet with me. He was only 2 hours late. Well he said he could replace the roof, however he would need $600 to buy the shingles and he could start the very next day. Remember now this was in 1977, I was young, and I trusted everyone. I wrote him a check. Guess what! I never saw him again. Lesson learned! Make sure you get a detailed description of the proposed equipment, scope of the work to be performed, any warrantees, and the method of payment for you to review.

Make sure that the company you choose has a service division. Believe it or not, there are companies that are “installation only” and will sub-contract out the service side of their business. That is definitely trouble waiting to happen. You know what I say… RUN!

I hope that I haven’t overwhelmed you with information and suggestions. Hopefully I have armed you with what you need when the time comes for you to replace or repair your heating and air conditioning system. The cold weather is upon us. Don’t get caught with a break down in the middle of the night, especially if it could have been avoided by a simple maintenance.

Winter weather… I Love It! Bring it on!

Tony Blinson is the president of Blinson Service Company, Inc. located at 7228 Becky Circle in Raleigh. For more information or for any HVAC needs, please call 919-881-0915 or visit www.bschvac.com.