When it comes to choosing a heating contractor, you need to make sure you take your time and find a great one. That is especially true when it comes to furnace installation and maintenance because carbon monoxide and combustible materials are involved.Follow this guide for choosing a heating contractor:
Demand Energy Star-qualified products. You want maximum efficiency and savings, which means you need your furnace to meet Energy Star criterion for efficiency.
Home assessments are the first step. Any contractor who offers a quote or recommends a product without assessing your home is cutting corners. A good contractor will perform Manual J load calculations and advise you on ways to decrease your heating demand before they price the job or suggest a furnace.
Ask about rebates. There are often local and federal tax credits and other rebates available which may make one model more affordable than another.
Ductwork should be part of the estimate. Your ducts have to work with the new heating equipment. That means they have to be sized appropriately and in good enough condition to handle the airflow. Work may not be needed, but if maintenance is needed, the contractor should be able to explain exactly what needs to be done and why.
A walk-through should be included. Once the furnace is installed and completely ready for operation, the contractor should walk you through every aspect and feature. They should take you through everything from changing the filter to annual maintenance and cleaning.
There should be thorough tests and documentation. The operation of the furnace should be tested at several key points for proper airflow, temperature and function. The results should be documented and you should receive a copy.
Third-party verification is a bonus. Some contractors bring in another party to verify that the job was done correctly. This protects you and the contractor and is a sign that they are confident in their work.
If you're choosing a heating contractor in the Broken Arrow area, contact us at Air Assurance. Homeowners in this region have trusted us for more than 25 years, and we'll make sure the job is done right.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Image courtesy of Shutterstock