Questions to Ask Before You Hire an HVAC Contractor

Heating and cooling work is expensive, and most of it ends up behind walls and above ceilings. That makes it hard for a homeowner or business owner to judge the quality after the fact, so the judging has to happen before the work starts. These are the questions we'd want you to ask any contractor in the Yakima Valley, including us, whether the job is in Yakima, Wapato, Sunnyside, Ellensburg or anywhere else around here.

Are you licensed, bonded and insured, and how much experience do you have?

Contractors who do this kind of work in Washington generally have to be registered with the state, and you don't have to take anyone's word for it. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) runs a public contractor lookup on its website. Search by business name or licence number and you can see whether the registration is active, when it started, and what's on file. It takes a couple of minutes. Check with the state on exactly what your particular job requires. For reference, ours is ICEFIFM976NJ, and L&I shows it as active with a start date in 2003. We're fully licensed, bonded and insured, and we're happy for you to look us up.

Experience matters too, but ask what kind. A contractor who installs mostly new construction is not automatically the right person to track down an intermittent fault in a twenty-year-old furnace, and the reverse can be true too. Ask how long they've been doing this work, whether they have manufacturer training or certification on the equipment they're proposing, and who will actually be in your home. We've been licensed in Washington since 2003, we're a certified Trane dealer and installer, and we've been selected as a Trane Comfort Specialist, a designation for companies with extensive training and experience. Whoever you're talking to, you should be able to get specifics.

Can I get the estimate in writing?

Never agree to work before you know what it'll cost, and always ask for the estimate on paper or by email. A solid estimate lists the equipment by make and model, the labor, materials and accessories, what happens with the old unit, and the expected timeframe. Vague one-line quotes are the ones that grow. If the job needs a permit, ask who handles it, and check with your city or county on what applies. When you collect two or three estimates, compare them line by line instead of looking only at the bottom number. A low price that leaves out the thermostat, the disposal of the old equipment or the cleanup isn't actually low.

What does a price quote guarantee actually mean?

Some contractors offer a price guarantee and some don't, and the wording matters. Ours is simple: if the actual cost of service is higher than estimated, we stick to our original quote. You'll never pay more than your initial estimate. That's how a guarantee should read: plain, short and tied to your estimate. Whatever a contractor promises, ask to see it written, ask what situations, if any, it doesn't cover, and make sure it's attached to your estimate rather than left as a conversation.

What warranties come with the parts and the labor?

Two different warranties are usually in play. The equipment manufacturer typically covers parts for a set period after installation, and that coverage can depend on the unit being registered and maintained properly. The contractor's warranty covers their workmanship and labor. Manufacturer coverage often does not include the labor to replace a failed part, so ask the contractor directly: what's covered, for how long, who do I call, and are the terms in writing? Terms vary by product and by job, so we won't quote any here. Any contractor should be able to hand you the details before you sign.

What do other customers say, and can I talk to some?

Reviews tell you how a company behaves on a bad day. Read a good number of them, not just the top few, and look for specifics: did they show up when promised, explain the problem, and clean up? Ask for references too. Referral is how a lot of good contractors get their work, and ours is no exception: most of our clients come to us by referral from other satisfied customers. Our Google listing shows 4.9 stars from 54 reviews at the time of writing, and you can read them yourself rather than taking our word for it.

A short list to take with you

• Is the contractor's registration active on the L&I lookup, and do the name and number match the estimate?
• Is the estimate written, itemized and dated?
• Is there a price guarantee, and is it in writing?
• Who covers the parts, who covers the labor, and for how long?
• Can you give me references, or point me to recent reviews?
• Does the company offer a free consultation or in-home assessment?

If you'd like to put us through these questions, call (509) 966-8731 or contact Ice & Fire Mechanical in Yakima. We offer free consultations to new customers, and we're glad to answer every one of them.