As winter approaches you start remembering that your heating is one of the most important systems in your home. This is especially true if you live in an area where it snows. Your heating system hasn’t been used through all of the spring, summer and maybe even the fall seasons, so you really don’t know how well it will work when it turns cold and you first turn on your heat. Whether you have a fairly new or an older system, it will need to be serviced sooner or later.
Your heating system is a complex system, so you want to make sure that the Heating company that works on it knows what they are doing. Before making the decision of which company you will use, there are some things you should do.
First do a little homework. Learn something about the licensing and insurance requirements for contractors for your state. Make sure you know the model number of your system and try to have its maintenance history ready. Make a list of any heating problems you have noticed, like not getting heat in some rooms, so you can discuss this with your potential contractor.
Ask family, friends and neighbors for referrals. This will give you the name of a Heating company they have been happy dealing with.
Ask any Heating company representative for references and make a few calls to check them out.
If you are thinking about having a new system put in, check for any special offers that might be available and make sure that the new system is “Energy Star” qualified. You can check this at visit us website.
Make sure that you get written estimates and make sure that all warranties are listed. Get the estimate written in ink. Compare the estimates of two or more Heating companies to make sure you are getting a good price.
There are many things that can cause problems with any heating system; things like clogged vents or worn out heating coils. It could be that wiring has become frayed or connections are faulty or loose.
The inspection should list all problems found and the estimated cost to repair or replace parts. It should also include if the contractor charges by the hour or by the job.
Once your system is back in good working order, you should consider getting preventative maintenance checks done every year.
