Whether it’s staying warm or keeping cool, every home or business depends on indoor climate control for comfort. Working with an HVAC contractor is an important practice for keeping your heating and cooling systems running smoothly. A heating, ventilating and air conditioning, or, HVAC, contractor installs and maintains residential and business heating and cooling equipment, so the right Gainesville HVAC contractor is as essential to the success of your system’s function as buying the proper equipment.
Finding a qualified Gainesville contractor should not be a difficult task, but the average person does not know where to begin when it comes to locating a reliable HVAC contractor, and that can often complicate the process. Gator Air and Energy wants you to know that finding an HVAC contractor that you trust is crucial, so consult local HVAC contractors about the practices and quality of their work to see to it that any HVAC work you need will be done properly and professionally. Communicate with your HVAC contractor to understand everything you can, and if something goes wrong, consider looking elsewhere for a contractor that can fix any mistakes and get your air conditioning system back on the right track.
Why You Need the Best Gainesville HVAC Contractor
Before you can have a new system installed or work done on your older system, you will need a Gainesville HVAC contractor to do a physical inspection of the location or the previously installed equipment. Avoid working with any HVAC contractor that does not perform an onsite inspection of an installation job or of equipment that needs repair before doing anything else. You might find that such a contractor is only interested in the profits and not in providing quality service.
A good HVAC contractor will use a checklist to determine the square footage of your home or business and to calculate the heat-load of the space. Only after they have discovered the necessary numbers can an HVAC contractor write up an estimate for a new system or parts for an existing one as well as labor charges. If you plan on having new equipment installed, most Gainesville HVAC contractors will usually have more than one option when it comes to available systems.
If you have an older system that is no longer efficient, a Gainesville HVAC contractor will ask specific questions and run a number of tests to pinpoint the problem and find solutions. Some systems are simply too small for the home or business where they are installed, and your Gainesville HVAC contractor can help you decide on the right new system or appropriate upgrade. A properly sized system will cost you less over time due to the more energy efficient operation it can achieve.
Important Features to Look For In a Gainesville HVAC Contractor
Here is a short list of important features to look for in any HVAC contractor from Gainesville with whom you may be interested in working:
- Insurance: Any contractor you plan to hire should be insured and bonded. They must also have insurance that includes workmen’s compensation and be bonded in the event of damage to your property.
- Phone book listing: Make sure that the Gainesville HVAC contractor you are thinking of hiring has a listing in your local phone book, because an established office or shop is probably a good indication of a reputable company within the community. An HVAC contractor should volunteer any contact information, including emergency contact numbers. If no physical address or phone number for emergency repairs is identifiable, you cannot be certain the contractor will be there when you need them.
- Proper practices and procedures: If you need a new air conditioning unit for your home or business, does your HVAC contractor perform the measurements and calculations that are industry standards? If your HVAC contractor claims to test for carbon monoxide, what type of tests do they conduct on the air quality of your home or business? Good HVAC contractors will have tried and tested procedures in place that they can verify and explain as they are working on your HVAC system.
- Proper licensing: Proper licensing is very important for HVAC contractors who claim to do any work in a specialized area. For example, an important thing to discover about an HVAC contractor that works with refrigerants is whether or not they hold an Environmental Protection (EPA) license. This license will ensure that the actions the HVAC contractor takes with refrigerants are safe and environmentally considerate. An HVAC contractor working with a cooling system should dispose of any refrigerants that might contaminate the air. No matter what area they specialize in, a good HVAC contractor should have the credentials in place that qualify them as capable in that department.
Choosing a Qualified Gainesville HVAC Can Help Protect Your Investment
With all of the HVAC companies in Gainesville, there is no need to do business with the first HVAC contractor you find. Instead, talk with a few different HVAC contractors and ask for written estimates that you can compare. Whenever you have misgivings about any contractor, move on to find one that you believe is qualified for the job. You might be tempted to go with the lowest offer, but that might not always be your best option. Put the contractor to the test and have them go over the estimate with you to explain how he is able to save you so much money. Try not to just look for the cheapest deal on heating and cooling equipment; instead, find the most reliable quality for the price.
You definitely will need to hire a reliable Gainesville HVAC contractor when it comes time to install a new system or perform work on your existing equipment. A reliable HVAC contractor will be knowledgeable about their profession and will not keep you waiting if you have scheduled an appointment. A truly professional HVAC contractor maintains good with you as a customer. If they are on an emergency call, they should contact you to let you know. Also, you should be able to make several minor observations about the company that can clue you in to how good their service really is. For example, the quality of their business will be reflected in the cleanliness and neatness of their office and vehicles. How they treat their employees and their property should be an enlightening indication of how well they will treat their customers and their projects.
As previously mentioned, the lowest quote is not always your best option. The best quote is one that provides you with a quality system and the most reliable service for the cost. Your heating and cooling system is an important part of your home or business, and the Gainesville HVAC contractor you hire should be there to help you keep it running successfully whenever you need them. In order to make the most of the great investment you have made in your HVAC system, keep your standards for a Gainesville HVAC contractor high and only work with the best HVAC company in town.
