How to Choose an HVAC Contractor: 12 Questions to Ask Before You Hire
• By the First Call Air Conditioning & Heating Repair technical team
HVAC is one of the easiest trades for a bad operator to hide in — most homeowners can't verify whether a refrigerant charge was correct or a coil was actually cleaned. These twelve questions separate professionals from parts-swappers.
License, insurance and credentials
- What's your contractor license number? California HVAC work requires a C-20 license from the CSLB; New York licensing is issued at the city and county level (New York City requires a DOB-licensed refrigeration/HVAC contractor for many jobs). Ask for the number and look it up.
- Do you carry general liability and workers' compensation? If an uninsured worker is injured at your home, that can become your problem.
- Are your techs EPA Section 608 certified? Legally required to handle refrigerant.
- Do you background-check your technicians? They're going into your home.
Diagnosis and pricing
- Will I get the diagnosis in writing before work begins?
- Is pricing flat-rate or hourly, and is the diagnostic fee credited toward the repair?
- Do you charge overtime for nights and weekends? We don't. Many do.
- Can you show me the failed part and your measurements? Good techs love showing their readings.
Installations and warranty
- Will you perform a Manual J load calculation? "Same size as the old one" is not sizing.
- Will you pull permits? Replacements generally require them. Skipping permits creates problems at resale.
- What's the labor warranty, and what voids the parts warranty? Get both in writing.
- Will you test static pressure and airflow after installation? A commissioning report is the mark of a real install crew.
Red flags
- Pressure to sign today for a price that "expires tonight"
- A replacement quote before any diagnostic measurements were taken
- Refusal to put pricing in writing
- Cash only, no license number, unmarked vehicle
- "Topping off" refrigerant every year without ever finding the leak
- Carbon monoxide scare tactics with no combustion analyzer reading to back them up
We answer every one of these before touching your equipment. See our standards, customer reviews, or full service list.
Need help now? We answer 24/7 for same day AC repair, furnace repair and emergency HVAC service in every California and New York city. Call (209) 309-1834 (CA) or (329) 202-9924 (NY), or find your city.