Selecting a Qualified HVAC Contractor: Why It Matters

Your Family’s Safety and Security Depend On It

It may not seem that important, but in a world of fakes, it’s important to get the real deal when it comes to an HVAC contractor for your home. Why? Aside from ensuring you’ll get high quality equipment designed to last well beyond the next service visit, you’ll also have peace of mind from knowing your system is safe as well as effective.

In California especially, rules and regulations for HVAC service providers and their products have become more stringent than ever before. With heavy pressure on heating and air conditioning contractors and manufacturers to design and deliver energy saving, environmentally sensitive products, it’s now a big deal to get the certifications, licenses and seals of approval necessary to produce, sell, or install even the most basic HVAC equipment. With heating and air conditioning services in high demand, some unscrupulous folks bypass the law and go straight to you, offering to sell and install heating and air conditioning equipment on the cheap for their customers. None of it may be legal, none of it may fall under standard city permitting guidelines, but hey, it’s inexpensive, right? What could go wrong?

A lot, apparently. First, remember that licensed HVAC contractors are also authorized to handle gas lines as needed, and legally dispose of refrigerants. Without training or proper authority, anyone who does either incorrectly can incur severe legal, if not lethal consequences down the road.   Don’t take that chance.

Furthermore, a lot has changed in the world of heating and air conditioning equipment in the past 20 years. You wouldn’t buy a 20-year-old Ford Fiesta as your primary commuter car, why would you install the equivalent air conditioning in your home? Many of these freelance “technicians” will unload old, outdated equipment purchased at an extreme discount on unsuspecting consumers who assume one air conditioning system is probably just like another. Nothing could be further from the truth.  Heating and air conditioning systems are not one size fits all. A licensed, certified HVAC contractor will help you select the most energy efficient system for your home based on usage needs, size of your residence, and other factors. You’ll get high quality equipment that should last 10-15 years without a major breakdown. In contrast, what may seem like the lowest price on HVAC may turn out to be a huge, costly disaster in six months to a year when your unlicensed, unscrupulous “technician” is miles away and out of touch.

Get written bid estimates from your potential HVAC provider. Read reviews on Yelp, Google and their company website. Ask questions, and do your homework. After all, heating and air conditioning is not only a major value add to your home in terms of real estate sales, but also in enhancing your family’s comfort and enjoyment of your investment the days and years to come.

Need to upgrade your home’s indoor comfort? Get in touch with Air-Tro today for expert service. Call (626) 357-3535.