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Probably the first
question to ask any air conditioning contractor is what kind of
energy rating you're working with. The cost of cooling homes has
only grown over the last few years, and today countless homeowners
find themselves staggered by each month's bill. Savvy architectural
features and green installation approaches may literally shave
hundreds of dollars off your annual climate control tab, so do not
hesitate to find out what steps are being taken and the projected
cost of each.
After energy, the most important question for an air conditioning
contractor relates to the maintenance of that unit. Too many
homeowners nowadays forget about such procedures entirely, rendering
pricey AC units effectively worthless within a few years. Air
conditioning contractors with considerable experience in home upkeep
should be able to point you toward better resources in this area.
Often all it takes is a few replacement filters and some very basic
management to keep your home cool and dry.
Of course the greatest challenge for any air conditioning contractor
is keeping all those vents beautiful and clean. Technicians with
integrity will usually sign a waiver sharing liability for the
condition of your home, as the last thing you want is for an
otherwise successful job to set you back thousands because of
botched installation. Ask your air conditioning contractor this
question early if you want to enjoy peace of mind throughout the
process.
Finally you may want to nail down a timeline for the work. The
demands placed on air conditioning contractors can make it expensive
to keep technicians around longer than necessary, so try and bracket
all that labor to the day if you can. Overflow is a necessary evil
of this business, but that doesn't mean you should tolerate days or
even weeks without a hard-working professional in your home. |