Top 10 Questions to Ask Your Potential HVAC Contractor

Finding an HVAC contractor in your city won’t be difficult to do. There are more than 100,000 HVAC contractors in the country today, which means there should be more than a few options in your general area.

But finding the best HVAC contractor? That’s a different story! Since there are so many HVAC contractors, you’ll need to do your homework to find the right one to provide you with HVAC services.

One way to do it is by asking HVAC questions to as many contractors in your city as you can find. This will help you narrow down your search and show you which HVAC contractors are worth your time.

Here are 10 questions to ask potential HVAC contractors.

1. How Long Have You Been an HVAC Contractor?

If an HVAC contractor just started working on HVAC systems last week, they’re not the best option for you. An HVAC contractor doesn’t necessarily need 50 years under their belt to perform most HVAC services, but that doesn’t mean you should trust someone with no experience, either.

One of your first HVAC questions should be about an HVAC contractor’s experience level. You want to know that they’ll know what they’re doing while working on your home’s HVAC system.

2. Are You Fully Licensed and Insured?

You should not, under any circumstances, work with an HVAC contractor that isn’t fully licensed and insured.

Ask for an HVAC contractor’s business license number and tell them you need to see a copy of their HVAC insurance policy. If they hesitate to provide you with either of these things, move on to your next option.

3. Do You Work With Residential or Commercial Clients?

There are some HVAC contractors who specialize in working on the HVAC systems in homes. There are others who work exclusively on HVAC systems in businesses. Some also do some combination of both.

Assuming you need an HVAC contractor for your home, you should check to see that the HVAC contractor you’re speaking with deals with homeowners on a regular basis.

4. What HVAC Services Do You Offer?

Most HVAC contractors offer the same basic services. They can help you install, maintain, and repair any aspect of your HVAC system.

But some also offer services that are outside the normal scope. For example, some HVAC contractors will do air duct cleaning for you and improve your indoor air quality.

If you need services like these, it’s always a good idea to ask an HVAC contractor if they’re capable of providing them. Not all of them are up for the challenge.

5. How Much Do Your HVAC Services Cost?

Cost shouldn’t be your No. 1 concern when you’re looking for an HVAC contractor. That’s why we didn’t put cost as the top question on this list of HVAC questions.

But you will obviously want to consider how much an HVAC contractor charges to, say, install a new air conditioner in your home. The national average for a new AC unit installation is about $5,000, but different HVAC contractors in your area will charge different amounts.

Feel free to ask about the costs associated with each service an HVAC company provides.

6. Do You Offer Any Warranties or Guarantees?

When hiring an HVAC contractor, you want someone who will stand behind their work. They should extend warranties and/or guarantees on the products and services they sell. This will give you an unparalleled peace of mind when you work with a contractor.

7. What Are Your Business Hours?

Most good HVAC contractors do more than just work 9 to 5 every day. More often than not, they’ll put in long hours to make sure their customers are satisfied. They’ll even come out to your home after-hours if you need them to.

8. How Fast Could You Come to My Home?

Do you have an emergency situation on your hands that requires the attention of an HVAC contractor right away? Or do you want to make sure your new AC is installed before next week when your family comes into town?

Talk to your HVAC contractor about whether or not they can provide you with prompt services. You may have to pass on working with a perfectly good HVAC contractor because they’re not able to send someone to your home fast enough.

9. Can You Provide References?

In 2019, it’s never been easier for homeowners to track down online reviews for HVAC contractors. You can find dozens of reviews for the HVAC contractors in your area by conducting a simple Google search.

But you can also ask HVAC contractors themselves to provide you with reviews and set you up with the names and numbers of a few references. It helps to know what other people have had to say about a contractor before hiring them to do a job.

10. What Sets You Apart From Your Competition?

As we mentioned earlier, there will be no shortage of HVAC contractors in your area trying to attract your business. They’ll all tell you that they’re better than the next contractor and able to provide you with superior services.

Have them tell you what sets them apart from the other HVAC contractors that you’ve spoken to. They should talk at length about how they have an outstanding reputation in the area and strive to keep their customers 100 percent satisfied.

The answer to this question, coupled with all the others, will let you know whether or not an HVAC contractor means business.

Ask These HVAC Questions to Different Contractors

Ask five or ten HVAC contractors in your area the HVAC questions found here.

When you do, we don’t think that any of them will give you the same great answers that we will. We’re committed to our customers and promise to provide you with the best possible HVAC products. We guarantee all the work that we do and make it our mission to leave our customers happy with our services.