Your AC unit is broken. You have squeezed every last bit of cooling air flow out of that rattling metal cube as it lies anguishing in or around your home. You know a Houston AC repair company is not needed. What you need is a Houston HVAC contractor to come out to your home and help you install, and perhaps even suggest, the model types of air conditioners that would be good for your residence. Luckily, Gary Mack of Maxx A/C & Heating can give some key points to investigate before you hire a Houston HVAC contractor. Mack has over 28 years in the heating ventilating and air conditioning industry, and so it would be wise to take the information he is about to impart to you under serious advisement.
HVAC Contractor References
You would be quite foolish not to ask for references from any Houston HVAC contractor you are thinking to employ. If a contractor cannot come up with a bunch of verifiable references, then it’s best that you move to the next name on your HVAC list. You don’t want to have to hire a new contractor because your first contractor had not a clue in how to install your new AC unit and did shoddy work.
City Permits, Licenses, and Insurance
A reputable contractor should be happy to show you up to date city permits (for each individual city), licenses, and insurances he holds. Without any of these items, again, like with references, you would not only be risking wasting your money, but also getting in trouble with local municipalities for potential zoning violations. Also, if the contractor doesn’t have insurance, you’d be on the hook to any damage caused during the AC installation.
Type of AC Unit to Purchase
Depending on who you speak to, there are numerous brands that have a good reputation:
- Rheem
- Amana
- Carrier
- Lennox
- York
- Trane
- American Standard
- RUUD
- Bryant
- Goodman
- Luxaire
- Tappan
- Tempstar
Mack is partial to American Standard brands. He is a customer care dealer for American Standard, which may have something to do with it. But even with that said, to become a customer care dealer for American Standard your business must maintain a 90% referral rate from its customers – Maxx A/C & Heating holds a 99% referral rate from its customers.
Common Errors Found
In Mack’s tenure in the HVAC business he has seen many errors made by previous contractors involving AC installation. Here he mentions a few:
- Duct work and/or air flow is incorrect
- Hot and cold rooms – usually due to wrong size returns and duct work
- Wrong size unit in home – a contractor must do what is called a Manual J Load calculation to figure out what size unit you will need in your home.
- Use of sub-contractors by company – this can lead to shoddy or rushed work.
- Contractor did not check the electrical part of the unit correctly.
It’s exciting to be getting new AC unit that will turn your sweltering summer days into ones where there is at least one place in the world for a respite. But do your research and homework first in finding a reputable contractor; the only headache you want regarding your newly installed air conditioner is worrying about when you can get home to enjoy it.