Hiring Your Ideal HVAC Company
Having a high-quality HVAC system is essential for anyone living in Bellingham, WA. Whether it’s keeping you warm and cozy during the winter months or cool when the temperatures begin to rise, a fully functioning HVAC system can completely transform your home. However, air conditioning systems and heaters are prone to dust and mold, so staying on top of maintenance is key to prolonging the lifespan of your appliances.
DIY HVAC repair can be dangerous and could cause irreparable damage to your entire system. Instead, you should look to hire a reputable HVAC company, such as Clean Air in Bellingham, that you can trust. To help make this process easier, here are six topics to consider and discuss before hiring an HVAC company near you!
1) Services & Brands
Your typical HVAC company is going to offer a variety of services. After all, HVAC already includes heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, but most reputable companies will offer a variety of sub-services to make them a one-stop shop for all your HVAC needs. Installing a new furnace or air conditioner is always the basic service, but what about the work that needs to be done after installation? Proper maintenance is crucial to making sure your new HVAC system is able to keep you comfortable in your home for many years to come.
Equally as important is the quality of the appliances and products used. Make sure the companies you consider use top-of-the-line brands like Mitsubishi or Lennox to ensure that you are getting the best system installed in your home. As an example of the types of services you should expect from a reputable company, Clean Air offers installation and/or maintenance in the following service categories:
- Air Conditioning
- Air Quality
- Duct Cleaning
- Furnaces
- Heat Pumps
- Mini-Splits
- Radiant Floors
- Water Heaters
2) Licenses & Certifications
You always want to make sure that whichever company you hire is licensed to be doing the work that is required. Here in Washington, HVAC service providers are legally required to obtain licensing as specialty electricians. In many states, it is even illegal to perform HVAC services without proper licensing. This means that you probably don’t want to go onto the internet and hire some inexperienced contractor simply because their prices are low (and they are probably low for a reason).
Hiring an unlicensed HVAC contractor could also result in legal ramifications for you, so always ask to see legal licensing and certifications BEFORE you hire a company. Reputable companies will not hesitate to produce proof of industry licenses, insurance, and certifications before accepting a single dollar from you!
3) Warranties & Guarantees
In a world (and climate!) like ours that is filled with so much uncertainty, a warranty or guarantee can feel as warm as the heat from a new furnace! The types of warranties that are offered by an HVAC company are key pieces of information to have when making your decision on which company to hire. While most legitimate companies will offer some type of warranty on the products or labor, these warranties can vary greatly for a number of reasons. For example, manufacturer warranties typically cover the appliances and certain parts on behalf of the manufacturing brand, but labor warranties are typically offered only by the HVAC company because the manufacturer will not cover service charges, labor costs, etc. Make sure you ask the following questions pertaining to warranties:
- What does the manufacturer’s warranty cover?
- What does the labor warranty cover?
- How long is the warranty period?
- Does the warranty cover “acts of God?”
- Do I need annual maintenance for coverage?
- What if I don’t have proof of regular service?
- Does improper installation nullify the warranty?
- What other exceptions should I know about?
Guarantees, on the other hand, are what respectable HVAC companies give customers simply because those companies have faith in their products and services. Clean Air offers a guarantee that we will save you 25% on your utility bills because we only provide services that Washington can trust! Any company that does not offer a warranty or guarantee does not believe in its services, and neither should you!
4) Pricing & Financing
We don’t have to tell you how important it is to get a fair price when picking an HVAC company, but it is not always easy to know whether or not the prices and quotes you are given are fair. The best way to go about this is by calling or searching different companies in your area to compare pricing. If a company is not willing to disclose its prices to you, or if a company does not have transparent pricing listed somewhere on its website, you should assume there will be some hidden fees and service charges that it does not want you to know!
Clean Air always makes sure our pricing and financing options are as simple as possible. We break our pricing down on our website to make sure you know exactly what you will pay for both services and equipment, and we even break it down by county to be even more transparent! Some companies may not even offer financing, and others may stick you with differing charges on a month-to-month basis with no explanation. Be sure to call around to find the most convenient and affordable options, and trust only the companies that are transparent about pricing!
5) Referrals & Reviews
There is no substitute for experience, as only working in the field can build trust and relationships with customers. As an HVAC company slowly builds that good reputation, the referrals and reviews should start pouring in! Ask your friends and neighbors about their HVAC services, and they will surely let you know how they feel. Homeowners have a right to complain when a company fails to provide such an essential service as heating and cooling their homes, but we find that customers are also quick to praise a good HVAC company when they are nice and comfortable all year long!
We have hundreds of 5-star reviews on Google, and the same should be true of any other quality HVAC company in your area. Seeing those good reviews gives you peace of mind that the technicians coming to your home are doing the job correctly and safely. If you don’t see or hear people talking about a particular company, they may not have much to brag about!
6) Emergencies & Repairs
Lastly, but very importantly, you must make sure your HVAC company offers emergency repair services! If your furnace goes out in the dead of winter and your HVAC service provider does not offer emergency repairs, your entire family could be forced to find a hotel or somewhere else to temporarily stay until it can be fixed. Likewise, an air conditioning unit shorting out in the sweltering heat of summer could also cause you to have to find a more tolerable shelter. Even the best equipment can malfunction from time to time, and you don’t want to wait until it is too late to be prepared.
Clean Air offers emergency services 24/7, 365 days a week, and we always have someone on call to take care of unexpected repairs! Remember, hiring an HVAC company that does not offer emergency repair services could put you and your family at risk, so call Clean Air today at (360) 398-9400!
