The Arizona Consumer Guide for AC and Heating

Transcription

1 The Arizona Consumer Guide for AC and Heating The 8 Insider Secrets to Getting the Best Heating & AC Service in Arizona

2 The 8 Insider Secrets 1. Check Their Licenses- This is the very first thing to do, before actually selecting your heating and AC contractor. Check their licenses for complaints. And see precisely how long the company has held its license with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors contractorsearch.html and the Arizona Better Business Bureau central-northernwestern-arizona.bbb.org. Be sure to check the complaints on the Better Business Bureau; do not just go by the Alpha rating at the top of the page, these scores are easily manipulated by businesses. The actual complaints and resolutions tell the real story. You re looking for unresolved disputes, or disputes resolved, but not to the liking of the consumer. Armed with this kind of information you can save yourself time, stress and money, assuring you get a better quality contractor from the beginning.

3 2. Make sure that whatever equipment you purchase is installed (or going to be installed) by an employee of the company, not a subcontractor. Here s why: Subcontractors are normally in a hurry; they typically get paid a flat fee for every installation, so the faster they get it done, the more jobs they can do in a day, the more money they make. Perhaps at your expense. An employee of your contractor is there to get the job done correctly, not based on how many installations he does. Subcontracted labor also can create insurance and liability risks for you that won t happen when your contractor s employees are doing the work; the contractor s insurance covers the employee while working on/in your home you do not want to be liable for injuries, or damage to your home.

4 And if a subcontractor is performing an installation, are you sure that the company you purchased the equipment from has taken out the proper permitting, if necessary, for the replacement unit? If your contractor s employees are doing the installation, they have likely taken care of all the permitting for you. 3. Are the technicians who come into your home paid commissions, or hourly? You need to ask this right up front. The key is finding a heating/ac contractor that pays their technicians hourly; you do NOT want commission sales-people posing as technicians evaluating your heating or AC systems. Here s why: Technicians, who are paid on commission, are looking to sell you something, even if/when they cannot find a part to replace since their pay depends on selling something, they may be tempted to sell you something you don t actually need clearly an unethical business practice.

5 4. The key questions you must ask and get answered, in writing, before/during/after equipment purchase and installation: Will the contractor register your equipment with the manufacturer or is that the home owner s responsibility? (Hint: the contractor should offer to do this for you, and offer proof of registration once done. Will your contract/agreement with the contractor be with the company s legal business name on the AZ Registrar license? (Hint: the only acceptable answer is YES). During an equipment purchase get everything in writing from the contractor: model numbers and brand of equipment, manufacturer warranty, and thermostat brand and model number. Extended warranties should be purchased through a 3rd party company, available through the heating/ac contractor. Make sure, that if you buy an extended warranty that you get all the paperwork concerning the extended warranties. 5. When having a repair done ask how long the part is warranted and does that warranty include labor? Simple and basic, but essential knowledge you ll see how different contractors operate, especially regarding including the labor warranty.

6 6. Have a friend or relative at home with you if this contractor has never been to your home before, or if there s an elderly or very young home owner at the time of service. The elderly and very young/ inexperienced home-owners are the two demographics more most often taken advantage of by unsavory contractors. Two key questions you need to ask, that will give you peace of mind: (1)Will the company employees coming to your home be in uniform and in a company marked vehicle? (2)Have the company s employees been background checked? The answer to both questions needs to be yes. 7. The Arizona registrar of contractors only requires AC and heating contractors to carry one million dollars ($1, ) in liability insurance so if the contents of your home are highly valuable, it s an excellent idea to ask the contractor about the amount of liability insurance they carry, and asking them to present a certificate of insurance is another question that a reputable contractor will happily comply with.

7 8. Surely you ve heard or read about free or deeply discounted tune-ups. These are nothing more than marketing tactics designed to get into your home to sell you more parts, service contracts, and other non -essential things. Any tune-up priced under $59.00 is probably nothing more than a 16 point inspection; it is not a tune-up, since nothing is done to your equipment to bring it back to manufacturer specs or make it run more efficiently. At some valley companies the technicians that perform these deeply discounted tune-ups are not even paid if they cannot produce a sale while they are at your home. These deeply discounted tune-ups are just not worth your time or money; a truly effective tune-up should include at least a 31 point inspection, along with services that help maintain the efficiency and effectiveness of your equipment.

8 Martin Wolff has 34 years in the HVAC industry; 28 of those year as an HVAC business owner. For the past 23 years, Wolff Mechanical has enjoyed an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and a complaint-free license through the Arizona Registrar of Contractors. Martin is a member of the board of the AZ Electric league, has served on manufacturer committees for the design of new HVAC equipment and spent numerous hours in customer service training and is widely regarded for his expertise in creative duct design and air flow technologies. Holding three (3) HVAC licenses, plus One (1) electrical and one (1) plumbing license, Wolff Mechanical has installed over 500,000 tons of air conditioning systems, and performed over 45,000 service calls Solar, AC, Heat