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YourHub.com \\ Hutchinson Island N \\ Stories \\ Tips & Techniques \\ General Tips & Techniques

Tips for Selecting a Qualified A/C contractor

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Contributed by: Christopher Rizzo on 5/29/2008

Now that the summer months are here, many of you will be shopping for a new A/C system. We, at Ocean Breeze Cooling want to pass along some valuable tips when choosing your A/C contractor to help avoid the many horror stories we are hearing from customers who have been harmed by unscrupulous or unlicesned contractors. Now, more than ever in this difficult economy, there are many "red flags" you should watch out for, and some ways to determine if your contractor is on the up and up.

1. When getting an estimate, always ask for the contractors license number. You can call your city or county's local building department to check on the contractors license status and if there are any complaints against them. This is very important for 2 reasons. First, if an unlicensed contractor does your work, the city/county cannot help you if there is a problem with the installation, or if the contractor runs off with your money. There is no license to revoke, so their hands are tied. Second, your contractor will not be able to pull a permit, so if you do have a problem, it is now going to cost more in fines as you did not pull a permit to have the work done. Virtually every city and county on the Treasure Coast require a permit for A/C replacement. or installation, evenon an addition that is using existing equipment! Anyone who says don't worry about a permit should be a red flag. Also, an unlicensed contractor cannot get insured, so any damage done cannot be claimed.

2. Check with the BBB for complaints against your contractor. Not all licensed contractors are good contractors. It is in your best interest to find one who satisifes their customers in most cases. Everyone knows of a person you just can't please, but, at least in our experience, we have found that most people are reasonable, and just want to get what they pay for. We have over a 99% customer satisfaction rating, and most of our work comes not from advertisement but customer referrals. A good customer referral is worth 1000% more than any ad!

3. Make SURE you get your quote, in writing, signed. On the quote, make sure the following items are listed AND included in the total price: Permitting fees, all labor, all materials, all equipment- and this should list the model number of each piece of equipment being installed , including the thermostat model, and any upgrades like UV lights, media filters ect. so you can make SURE you are getting the pieces of equipment you are paying for- (some contractors like to "bait and switch equipment to make more profit on a job). This part is also extrememley important if you are getting several estimates so you can see that you are comparing "apples to apples" and not just going with the lowest price since in most instances a contractor with a much lower price on a system than the other estimates is "lowballing" to get in the door and will charge more at the end of the job for "odds and ends" or labor overrun. Lowest price by a significant amount can also be a "red flag" for an unlicensed contractor.

4. Make sure to ask what type of Refrigerant the unit you are getting is using. There are 2 types on the market currently, R-22, also known as Freon, and the new EPA friendlier type, R410-A, also known as Puron. Right now, many contractors are trying to deplete their inventory of the R-22 (Freon) using units, as it has been government mandated that as of 1/1/2010, R-22 can no longer be manufactured and the prices on it, and parts for units that use it, will increase dramatically. Not all contractors are passing along this information to customers, and are letting them purchase R-22 units at deeply discounted "deals". This deal will end up costing way more money in a couple years than they could have ever saved! Make SURE you get your choice of refrigerant in WRITING when you sign your contract. Most true service companies who are trying to develop long term relationships and excellent service are being up front about this issue.

5. Lastly, check up on your chosen contractors continuing education and affiliations. Licensed contractors have to go to classes every year just to keep their licenses, to keep up on changes in their industry. Also check for appropriate affiliations by asking or checking out their websites. Groups like the TCBA, TRACCA, BBB, all help keep consumers safe from fraudulent practices.

If consumers follow these tips, we can all help prevent the havoc that bad contractors bring to our area!

Should you need an free, no obligation estimate, feel free to do all of the above, check out our website, www.oceanbreezecooling.com and give us a call at 772-398-8011.

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