Finding an HVAC Contractor
Whether your furnace has stopped working, is beyond the point of repair or you are just ready to upgrade it you need to find an HVAC contractor. The person you hire must be a professional who is skilled at what he does and will give you a fair price. Here we take a look at some things to think about in this regard.
Is it time to buy a new furnace for your home? Many people decide to buy a new one because their existing one has broken or simply cannot be fixed. Or maybe you want to upgrade in order to save on the money that you pay out on your heating bill. Whatever reason you have for making this purchase it can be a difficult one because the options in furnaces on the market is many. As well it is a big ticket item and will cost you anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000. This takes into account not just the expense of buying a new one but also the cost of having it installed by an HVAC expert. What is good to know is if you select the right furnace and the right contractor then your new purchase can last you for many years to come!
Installing a brand new furnace for the purposes of upgrading or if you just need a new one is not something you do by yourself. It is not even something that you invite a few friends over to help you with! What you need to do is to check the Internet and/or flip through the yellow pages of your phone book and look for Heating,
Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) contractors in your local area. You do not necessarily want to hire the very first contractor that you come across in your search. You need to find a reputable individual who is professional, experienced, honest and very competent at this kind of work. You need to make it you mission to hire the services of a fully qualified and licensed HVAC expert.
You must identify a selection of contractors who get your vote and then contact several of them. Set up appointments with each of the contractors to drop by your home so they can give you a quote. You should not have to pay for this initial visit. When each individual comes by they will inspect the furnace you currently have in your residence. They will then find out the information that is pertinent for them to know. This includes how many windows you have in your home, which direction your windows face, and how well your home is insulated. With all of this information in hand the HVAC specialist will calculate what is known as the load, which is the correct capacity for the furnace that is to be installed.
Make sure that you get a written estimate from every HVAC person that you consult with. The estimate you are given needs to include a breakdown of the different charges that the contractor expects to come across throughout the furnace installation process. For example, it needs to clearly state how much the furnace expenses will be as well as how much it will cost to install the item. If other work is recommended, such as that something should be done with the ducts in the residence then this should all be noted on the written estimate. Do not leave anything to chance because it will cost you more than you had first anticipated if you do.
