Tips on Hiring a Heating and Cooling Contractor by the Ex-Wife of a Heating and Cooling Contractor
Posted: Friday, January 16, 2009
by Myla Madson
Myla Madson.com
No, I'm not going to bash my ex or his heating and cooling business. I will, however, offer closely guarded insider information you won't find in other articles on how to hire a heating and cooling contractor. Information that will save you money, ensure you do not get ripped off, and open your eyes on an industry filled with violent sex offenders, convicted felons and a complete assortment of other shady individuals.
I say safely because I'm sure everyone would agree that protecting your family ranks higher on your to do list than saving money on a new furnace or air conditioner. You can go online right this minute to the registered sex offender data base in my city and find three convicted violent sex offenders, two of those crimes committed against children, who now work for heating and cooling companies. Their employment information is right there for all to see.
You would think that a company would screen their employees to make sure this does not happen, but most don't. A sad reality in the heating and cooling business is a severe shortage of qualified people to do the work and dozens of companies competing for the handful of honest, hard working, drug free technicians most families would feel comfortable inviting into their homes.
You will find that in most cities, a number of heating and cooling companies ( handyman services also) are actually just one man operations. Some of these companies are actually run by sex offenders and when they register with the state to be put in the sex offender registry, they will list their employment as self employed, not giving the actual name of their company. Convicted criminals and sex offenders are also not likely to name their company after themselves or just use their initials in order to hide their record from you so keep that in mind. A company named Myla Madson heating and cooling has little to hide.
Now you would think that a convicted felon or sex offender could not work in a service industry but there is no law against it. In fact, in many areas of the country, guys that start their own heating and cooling company just need a city business license and don't have to get a state contractors license (which does require a background check) unless they do a certain volume of work, which of course is easy to get around. If the state does require it, many will just ignore the difficult to enforce regulation.
Beware, if you hire a guy without a heating and cooling contractor's license and then have trouble with that contractor, you are on your own. Sad to say but the state only regulates licensed contractors and many companies out there are not licensed, at least not by the state contracting board.
So, ask to see a copy of their state contractor's license as well as their city business license. It would also be a good idea to see their insurance certificate. There's nothing worse than getting your house burned down by an uninsured company, and many of them aren't.
You are going to spend a lot of money replacing your heating and cooling system so take your time and do your homework. Ask to visit their shop or office; if it is in their living room, move on. I know that is unfair to those just starting out in the business but it is not worth the risk of them not being around next year if you have problems with your new system, and believe me, many of them won't be.
Most larger heating and cooling contractors have a salesman who will come out to visit with you and take a look at your house to determine what equipment will best address any and all of your heating and cooling needs. He will generally be well dressed, professional and a pleasure to deal with; those that show up to install the system, not so much.
Ask about the install crew and whether or not they are drug tested and have had a criminal background check done. Get their full names so you can go online and pull up your cities court data and verify for yourself. If they won't give you the names, move on. My ex makes sure all of his employees carry a company ID card that they show the customer when they open the door.
When the sales person is there, make sure he or she runs a heat load calculation on your home. They should have a laptop with a program that does this for them after they plug in some information and measurements of your home. If they do not have such a program, move on.
A lot of people think they can check the Better Business Bureau to get the real scoop on a company's reputation and track record. Think again. The BBB is a private, self regulated business that earns its revenue from business membership fees. This "bureau" is in no way affiliated with the government and it collects money from those it is supposed to regulate. Can anyone say conflict of interest?
Now of course the BBB thinks they are a regulatory agency and will often strong arm businesses into joining by threatening to post a negative record of them when a customer calls to check the company out ... very shady indeed!
Always rely more on what the Chamber of Commerce has to say about the company. In fact, I would not use a company that is not a registered member and in good standing.
In order for a company to do all the things I've mentioned, you will pay more for a new heating and cooling system than you would if you just picked three guys out of the phone book and based your decision on price alone. This is why my ex is having a tough time right now; customers just don't know how to choose the right heating and cooling contractor.
He's losing out to one truck companies working out of their homes, midsize companies hiring anybody with a pulse, and large conglomerates backed by Sears, Home depot or the utility company and very few of them playing by the rules like he does Oh, by the way, Home Depot and Sears sub the work out to local contractors after you purchase your heating and cooling system anyway and take a cut for themselves, which of course raises the price of your unit ... totally unnecessary, why pay a middle man? If you choose them because they stand behind their service, you may get more than you bargained for. A recent news report uncovered Home depot sending a convicted sex offender to a single woman's home to reface her cabinets, so be careful!
Also remember that asking for references from past customers like a lot of other articles recommend you do, will usually get you the names of the owner's friends, family or girlfriend. Never base your decision on testimonials unless they are from someone you know, which you probably would have already done if you knew someone who had a good recommendation and would not be currently reading this article to get tips on hiring a heating and cooling contractor in the first place ... dumbest tip ever and one on every "experts" list..
One more bit of advice. If your heating or cooling system has stopped working and a service company comes out and recommends it be replaced for whatever reason, always get a second opinion. You will most likely have to pay another service charge, but if another company tells you the same thing, then it is certainly worth the peace of mind and most companies will deduct the service charge if you buy a new system anyway.
If he says something entirely different and is able to fix your unit, then thank your lucky stars and fax his findings to the first company who was most likely trying to rip you off and demand your money back.
You are always going to pay more during extreme hot or cold weather so the best time to shop for a new system is during the Fall and Spring or whenever your area has the mildest weather. Companies start to get hungry and will compete hard against one another for your business. This is the best time to get a great deal on a great heating and cooling system.
Some "experts" recommend that you visit different manufactures websites and learn as much as you can about the different type of heating and cooling systems out there. That's fine but be prepared for a lengthy learning curve as there are more than a hundred different brands of heating and cooling equipment and thousands of different models.
Believe me, if you just do what I recommend in this article and find a reputable company, they will let you know what is best for your home. Compare three or four different companies, their warranties, pricing and then make a decision that you can feel comfortable with.
There are a lot of bad seeds in the heating and cooling industry as well as a lot of regulatory loop holes that allow companies to cut corners that in the end wind up costing you much more than you could ever save by ignoring my advice and going on price alone.
For more heating and cooling info, please go to http://www.heatcool911.com
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Hi Myla.This is a great article. Lots of good advice. I've put it in my favorites and want my husband to read it too.Thanks,DianneWhy thankyou Dianne, I am so glad that you like the article. I hope it gets some exposure to make people aware of the dangers out there. Thanks again for commenting.
This was really great information. Thankyou for being so candid and i will use these tips when we decide on our heating and cooling contractor. Thanks again!
The BBB has helped me find reputable companies to hire for years. I wouldn't hire an non-member ever.
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