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PICK AN HVAC CONTRACTOR
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So, you've decided to purchase an air conditioner? People do this for all sorts of reasons like building a new house, upgrade the existing or may be broken and beyond repair.
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No matter what your reason, choosing a new AC can be a frightening process. There are nearly 100 different brands, and thousands of different models on the market. There are budget models, fully featured models and high efficiency models. How can you make an informed decision without going back to AC technical course? You can expect to spend anywhere from Rs.25000 to Rs.50000 or more by the time your new AC is installed and working. And, you can expect to enjoy (or resent!) your AC for the next15 years or more!
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Many people deal with this decision by simply placing all of the choices in someone else's hands -- they visit a showroom or call the any Air Conditioning (HVAC) contractor, and ask them for a advice or ask them to replace. This article provides an overview of how the HVAC market works, and how to identify reputable HVAC contractors.
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How the HVAC Market Works
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| Upgrading or installing a new AC is not a do-it-yourself job. You will need the help of a fully qualified and experienced HVAC contractor. A typical job might proceed as follows: |
- You identify and contact several HVAC contractors
- You set up an appointment with each of them to visit your home. You should not be charged for this initial appointment. At the appointment, they will inspect your existing AC, and collect a wide range of information about your home -- how many windows it has, which direction they face, how thorough is its insulation, etc. The contractor uses all of this information to calculate the load -- the correct capacity for the AC that they would install.
- You should receive a written estimate from contractor. Make sure that the estimate breaks out the different charges that the contractor expects to encounter -- i.e. how much will the AC itself cost? How much in labor? Do they recommend work on your home's doors / windows?
- If one of the contractors submits a bid that is dramatically different from the other bids, don't be shy about asking the contractor to explain the difference -- they may have noticed something that the other contractors missed.
- Make sure that the contractor is properly licensed and ensure that warranties are properly spelled out, and generally make sure that you get what you think you are going to get at the end of the process
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| Some HVAC contractors and companies represent a single brand of AC manufacturer. Hiring one of these contractors has advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side, the contractor has probably gone through specialized training offered by the manufacturer. Should the job end badly, you may have additional leverage, since you may be able to approach the manufacturer with complaints. On the other hand, this contractor will only offer AC from this one manufacturer. If you get estimates from contractors that represent a single brand, make sure you get estimates from several contractors, and make sure they are recommending equivalent capacity AC |
| What happens if your AC isn't working correctly after it is installed -- will the manufacturer send a technician to solve the problem? Typically the answer is no -- the manufacturer expects the dealer who installed / sold the AC to deal with this issue. This is yet another reason that you need to choose your contractor carefully. Having said this, many people have been able to appeal to the manufacturer on consumer protection cells -- although this may require quite a bit of persistence on your part |
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How to Find a reputable HVAC Contractor
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| HVACadvisor.com has developed local HVAC contractor resources in every state India. |
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Tip before selecting AC
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* Ask your friends and relatives for recommendations.Ask your friends if they have used an HVAC contractor in the past, and if so, who they used. Ask them if they had a good experience with this company. Contractors are likely to work harder for you if they know that you have a connection to an existing network that they are associated with. They know that if you do not have a good experience that news may get back to the people that recommended them to you possibly with substantial negative consequences.
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* Check how long the contractor been in business? Assuming all other criteria were held constant, choose a contractor who has established a successful track record over one who hasn't. An established record provides two benefits: (1) the likelihood is that the contractor has made his or her clients happy more often than not; (2) if the contractor has established a track record, they should have no problem providing you with references who can substantiate that record.
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* Some air conditioners have dehumidifiers and heaters built in, so you can use them in all seasons
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* References: Always request and check multiple references. A simple phone call will do. Here are some useful questions to ask the reference.
- Can they confirm that they hired the contractor in question?
- Were they happy with the contractor's work?.
- Did the contractor finish the project on time and on budget?
- Would they have any hesitation recommending this contractor to someone else?.
- Beware of references who are unwilling to discuss a contractor, or who give low profile reference
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