On average, the temperature in Geneva, New York can be as low as 16 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the first two months of the year. During those cool times, your home’s heating system must be running smoothly and without error to guarantee your safety and comfort.
Make sure that your heating system is performing at its best by hiring professional Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) service providers in your area, like the folks at eandvenergy.com.
But before you go ahead and call on the services of these professionals, it’s a good idea to ask them these seven questions first:
What’s your company’s history in the HVAC industry?
As the saying goes, you should know who you’re getting in bed with before you get down to business. So before anything else, ask professional heating service providers for a brief company background and history. You can usually tell that a company is an expert in the HVAC industry if it’s:
Bonded
Licensed
Insured
Accountable
Well-established
Properly managed
It’s also a good sign if they can show you genuine testimonials from previous clients.
What services do you offer, and at what rates?
Raising this question will let you know if the company can meet your needs. In general, a well-rounded heating service provider can install, repair, and maintain the following:
Boilers
Furnaces
Heat pumps
Natural gas heating systems
Vented space heaters
Water heaters
Additionally, it would be in your best interest if they offer these services with flat rates instead of hourly or daily ones, so be sure to inquire about the payment scheme as well.
Do you offer cleaning and maintenance services?
For a company to claim that they have a holistic approach, they must include cleaning and maintenance services in the roster of things that they can do for their clients. In the long run, availing of such services can save you money by giving you the most value out of the heating system you purchased. Aside from that, having these services available is also convenient; after all, not everyone has the time to clean out their houses’ heating systems.
Are you familiar with my heating unit and system?
This question becomes even more important to ask if you’re switching to a new heating service provider, since a lot of different kinds of heating systems are currently available on the market. See to it that they can work with the heating system that you have at the moment. It’s also preferable that they approach their work holistically; that is, they can familiarize themselves with your home and how heat flows within your particular space.
If you’re looking to install a particular brand’s heating unit or system, make sure that they also know how to work with the brand of your choice.
Are your technicians reliable and experienced?
Don’t forget to inquire about the technical professionals who will actually handle most of the work. However, in some cases, it may not be enough to ask about their technicians’ experience and reliability. If you want a third party’s opinion, then you can check if they are certified by the North American Technician Excellence (NATE) organization, which gives out tests that must be passed to guarantee expertise. You’ll know that the technicians are NATE-certified if they can present you with a valid ID.
How can the heating system in my space be improved?
Once you’re certain that the company you’re working with can perform well and be trusted, it’s time for the more specific questions. They must be able to know the kind of improvements you can make on your heating system after they conduct a check-up. They may advise you to upgrade the entire unit to a more modern one or maybe just remind you to perform maintenance tasks – like clean filters and bleed radiators – more regularly.
What are the signs of malfunction that I should watch out for, and what should I do about them?
The most common heating system defects include:
Refrigerant leaks
Also known as coolants, refrigerants should always stay within your unit, specifically within the heat pump. A leak may cause your heat pump to freeze up due to low refrigerant levels. Call a professional right away when you notice a leak because refrigerants do contain harmful chemicals
Carbon monoxide (CO) leaks
In addition to refrigerants, CO should also stay within your unit because, when inhaled, it can cause side effects similar to those of the flu. If you think you have this problem, consult with a professional since CO is difficult to detect.
Blocked filters
Perhaps the most common cause of most problems with heating systems, obstructed filters can be cleared out easily or not, depending on your unit.
All of the roughly 13,500 residents of Geneva wish to keep their homes warm for themselves and their families. It’s easy to tell when your home’s heating system needs an upgrade or a tune-up. However, before hiring heating professionals, be sure to ask questions that will check their legitimacy, reliability, and expertise.
