If you live in areas that are prone to colder weather then you would most likely have some kind of heating system to heat up your home. Heat pump contractors should be on your emergency list, as you never know when you might need one.
It would be easier if you have had the heat pump installed yourself, as you would then have a contractor in place already. Should you have inherited the pump with the home you have purchased, you would need to look for a contractor to assist you with maintenance or if anything should fail on the unit. It would also become necessary if you have to replace the unit.
The inherited unit could be a very good product and will give you good service, but some of the parts on it might need replacing at one point or another. For this, you would need to research as many heat pump contractors to find the right one to service your unit for you. The contractors need to have the expertise with a variety of makes and models, be knowledgeable, skilled and qualified to do the maintenance and repairs for you if there are any).
Selecting Heat Pump Contractors
When you start out by sifting through the many heat pump contractors, you could start by:
- Creating a list of the heat pump contractors in your area or region. It is especially good to ask family, friends or co-workers whom they have used in the past and what the service was like to have an immediate shortlist.
- Making sure that they comply with the state and local building codes and regulations.
- Making sure that they are in possession of business insurance as well as a worker’s compensation insurance.
- Looking at the way they conduct their business, once you meet with them. This is done through meeting with your shortlisted candidates.
- The fact that they should be prompt and professional in the way they conduct themselves.
- Being aware of the latest technology and be able to give you sound advice on your unit – its make and model and so forth. This applies to the new unit you would want to purchase as well.
Once you have spoken to each one of the heat pump contractors on your list, you should request a written estimate. It should include the cost, the time frame in which the work would be completed. The cost should cover everything and there should be no extra cost added after the fact.
Choosing from the Best from the Heat Pump Contractors
Once you have met with all of the heat pump contractors, you can make your decision. It will not always be the cheapest quote that would be the best. Your list, however, will contain the selected group from which you can choose. Once you have made your choice you should have the following in your possession:
- A copy of the project details
- The service contracts
- The proposals or letters of agreement
- The heat pump contractor’s insurance papers
- The workman’s compensation and
- Copies of the property damages or liability insurance
- A few contactable references. This should be from satisfied customers.
- A copy of the contractors license
- A copy of his building permit
- Possible membership of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA)
All of these should be available to you as hardcopy. The insurance is vital, because if something should go wrong you could be held partially responsible. Aside from these documents, the heat pump contractors should all be in possession of a building permit. You could check this with your local permit office and verify whether the contractor has a permit. If you do not understand a contract, you should get legal advice before you sign anything.
Other Important Aspects to Look for in Heat Pump Contractors
Experienced and reliable heat pump contractors would make sure that:
- Your system is suitable for your specific needs and would be able to advise you if there is a problem with your current system and whether you should replace it.
- They would be able to advise you as to which furnace, condensing unit, fans and blowers, air conditioning coil, the duct and other parts would work best for your home to produce the heating and cooling necessary.
- They can advise you on your room environment and what problems there are with it, such as drafts, dryness, dampness and the possibility of mold and mildew.
Heat pump contractors should be concerned about your health and the protection of the environment. Thus, they would make sure that:
- Your pump unit is environmentally friendly and would not allow the ozone layer to be depleted any further.
- A valued contractor would be aware and would be trained and certified in techniques of recycling, reclaiming, recovering, and disposing of used refrigerant.
- They leave you with the best instructions on how to take care of your system on a daily basis to allow it to work at its optimum.
- They would show you how to clean or change the filter
- How to operate the thermostat
- They would advise you on what would signal to you that there might be a problem with the equipment.
- Once the servicing of your equipment is done, the contractor would be able to tell you exactly when the next serviced is due.
One of the most important aspects would be that the experienced heat pump contractors would be able to tell you when you need a new system without wanting to extort you. They would be able to advise you on what the best options of a new system (make, model and capacity) would be for your particular home. It deals specifically with the calculation of the load.
The main concern for the true quality heat pump contractors is the fact that the planned maintenance service should maximize the lifespan of your equipment. The major stamp of approval would be that they would honor the terms of the warranty on the equipment throughout the warranty period.
