Finding the 'Right' HVAC Contractor

14 years ago

I'm replacing a 2 ton HP & gas furnace for our second floor; today I'm thinking it will be something like a Trane XL15i or its sister American Std model, matched with an 80% furnace that sits in the attic. I have estimates from three Trane/AS contractors who seem to have good reputations based on BBB reports and the little feedback I find on local forums.

PROBLEM is, most people don't evaluate a contractor after living for 10 years with the system that contractor installed. So the question is, how do I find the contractor who is likely to do the best installation so my system's life will not be cut short by contractor installation errors? What kind of things should I ask him and look for?

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Comments (4)

classicdave
14 years ago
1. Ask for recent customer references, a good company has no problem giving you references.

2. A Factory Authorized Dealer or Comfort Specialist(Trane)
meet higher guidelines and have more training in the manufactures product they sell.
1. If you get a salesman, ask him that you request the company's best installers and ask if they are NATE Certified Installers.
Next ask, how much it cost to change out a warranty compressor if you buy a system from them and do not want to purchase an extended labor warranty.

Ask what their labor rate is on fixing warranty parts.
johnnyp_2009
14 years ago
I agree NATE certification is important. I had a new system installed 2 Sept, and the issues from the first "Bad" installer just got fixed today 9 Oct a month later.

My advice is if you can't trust an installer, go with a Contracter you can trust, thats what I did, because a well known contracter will ensure the overall job is completed to your satisfication even if they have to get a different installer after the fact, as in my case.
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I would be curious in seeing if you have a good grasp on the numbers I posted originally and the effects they truly have on a home, along with a program you use that actually takes into account some of these things, such as thermal bridging and extremely low infiltration rates...cause ours does. Some of the hvac guys I talked to their programs maxed out at r29 insulation in the walls! Not to mention their "infiltration numbers were, well not numbers at all, but rater "loose, medium, and tight". (tight being 2 ach@50 pac, still way too loose). Its not a fight between who is smarter. Its a matter of new ways of doing things. Tried and true and gut feelings are all fine and dandy on typical code homes, but not here. It gets people out of their comfort zones and actually size things correct, heaven forbid. My HERS rater and ES rater came back with similar numbers now. I guess we are all crazy and the home will really, really suck. (just like the PH homes in VT, IL, MI, and other places that use a single point cooling such as a mini split with great results....)
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Mr. Havac: My horse did not die! I sold him to the glue factory when I found out I could get more manure for my gardens and lawn by having unscrupulous contractors of all trades come to my house and give me quotes (Of course I hid the wagon in the lean-to shed next to my leaning barn with the rat infested silo so they wouldn't know I was a technician.). Daddo: As long as the heat exchangers have negative pressure, even a sudden crack, or separation in the heat exchangers WILL NOT endanger the occupants. Efficiency will be reduced and depending on how the combustion air flow proving switches are programmed to operate, the furnace should go into lockdown. In the newer HI-EFF furnaces I would be much more worried about gas supply connection and exhaust pipe leaks into the house than I would cracked heat exchangers. Naturally aspirated systems are much more dangerous in the event of cracked heat exchangers in only a few circumstances. If the leak is on the upflow side of the house air supply, you will get the vacuum effect of the air flow sucking some of the exhaust out of the heat exchanger. Since furnaces in general are designed to have a strong positive pressure in the house air chamber, any heat exchanger crack is much more likely to push house air INTO the heat exchanger and OUT the chimney. On older naturally aspirated furnaces a cracked heat exchanger is more likely to extinguish the pilot light of knock down the flame near the flame sensor thereby causing the furnace to function erratically enough to call in a repair person. I agree that cracked heat exchangers should be changed out and have personally shut down and red tagged bad heat exchangers, but there are way too many contractors and techs that scare people into new units or major repairs when they are not needed. When I have found bad heat exchangers I point out the obvious cracks and DO NOT GET INTO THE DETAIL I GIVE HERE only because my liability insurance would have disappeared if I told customers they could carry on for a while depending on the type of heat exchanger crack or hole they had. I hate to see one more high tech tool that is going to be exploited to take advantage of the innocents. Fairyprincess
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I think that I may take a slightly different approach. I have discovered that NJ has an Enegry Star program running. You pay a small fee and they have a BSI certified contractor come and inspect the home for air leaks, missing insulation, etc. They use IR camera's and do a blower door test. For one they will fix air leaks up to $1000 for free. The bigger thing is if your house is drafty, have an old furnace , AC etc and they can project that the improvements will result in a 25%+ reduction in heating costs, then there is a 50% rebate up to a total cost of $10,000. Thus $20,000 in improvements costs $10,000. On top of that you can do an interest free load for the $10,000 for up to 10 years. I have been researching contractors that are certified but aren't HVAC companies to try and elicit a more honest approach. Most also offr duct testing & sealing and are heating and cooling experts as well so they should be able to do manual J caculations based on the improvements and air seal they recommend. I think this is an important first step since this will affect the heating system I currently have.
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I agree, talk to a good HVAC contractor. Finding the good ones is the key point. I'd question if what you are asking for makes sense for your house (how new and how tightly, or not. is your home sealed). Do you want unheated/unconditioned air coming directly into your kitchen, do you want to stand under that supply of air when it is 32 degrees outside? Qualifier: I'm not familiar with Fantech products. What is used in newer, well sealed homes are devices knows as HRV or ERV (Heat Recovery Ventilators or Energy Recovery Ventilators). What these devices do is get any heat from air being exhausted from the structure (cooking, bathroom exhaust, clothes dryer exhausts, etc.), and exchange the heat to add it to air coming into the structure (some do exchange of moisture along with heat). In some areas, northern and colder climates and Canada, these devices are required by code. If your structure is older and enough makeup air comes in through door and windows seals, mail slots, screen doors, garage entrances, dryer and bathroom exhausts when not in use, etc., etc. then you don't want this arrangement. A good HVAC contractor will have someone on staff who understands all this stuff and can tell you what options make sense for your house.
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rpfingsten
14 years ago
Charv... In my opinion picking the right contractor / installation is as important if not more important than the brand. I had to change out my heat pumps alittle over a year ago and I had no idea who to use. Obviously word of mouth is important, if you get good reviews from others who have used them.. also check with the bbb. Dont always go with the lowest bid. I had one contractor come in 4 grand below another contractor for the same equipment, but I had heard some not so good things about him, so despite the fact he was 4000 less, I opted not to use him. Good thing because last month he got a prison sentence for selling a local school system "top of the line equipment", but installing low end junk. Bilked the school system out of more than a million bucks... Turned out the guy I used came highly referred. Owns the company and did the installation himself. Wasn't the cheapest, but I believe he did a darn good job, and so far a year later not one problem. I got lucky.. good luck to you.

Roland
Pinebaron
6 years ago
For me it was locating a local HVAC company not intimidated by our requirements. I met three other HVAC companies in my area and though they all apparently do a good job, were unsuitable (one even refused my project due it being complicated) for our new construction. Finally the owner of last of the three companies recommended a fourth company who primarily does commercial work; I found them highly knowlegeable and did an amazing job so far. There's still lot left to do, only the furnaces wired to temporary thermostats are running at this time; we are three months away from completion.

Finding the 'Right' HVAC Contractor

Comments (4)

classicdave

johnnyp_2009

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