Every homeowner knows the stress that comes with their HVAC system not working. Who enjoys going days without cold air blowing from their vents while waiting for a technician to get out to their house? And the cost of repairs can be brutal, especially with the current state of the economy. Furthermore, your system may be functional but experience numerous problems due to its age, so you feel you need immediate service.
But worst of all, it often feels like contractors flat out don’t care about their customers. They seem to make it obvious that all they want is to profit and do everything they can to milk as much money possible out of the people they serve.
It is incredibly important to know the difference between a good and bad HVAC contractor. Read on to learn about why you need a good HVAC contractor, criteria for the best contractors, signs of a good vs. a bad technician, how SuperTech HVAC measures up against that criteria, and some of the best HVAC companies in Maryland.
But we’ll also tell you beforehand that we are the Baltimore Metro area’s top-rated HVAC contractor and have the goal of helping customers as best we can. We do not try to take advantage of you by tricking you into forking over more cash than necessary. If you want proof of our excellent services, schedule an appointment with us for your next HVAC-related need!
Look No Farther For Maryland's Best HVAC Contractor
First, A Typical Contractor Story
Let us tell you a story that we think might give a good amount of people déjà vu.
Our company’s co-owner recently faced a scenario in which she needed service from a contractor. She called around to several companies and had to leave a voicemail for almost all of them. Most of the companies also never called back, and for those who did, the person to whom she spoke seemed completely uninterested in their job.
After a lot of time and frustration, she was finally able to get an appointment. However, on the day that the repairman arrived, she first noticed that he reeked of body odor and tobacco. Furthermore, after she told him what her issue was, he immediately got to work with the information he was provided. Kudos to him (perhaps) for wanting to jump right on the job, but the issue was that when she tried to tell him more, he did not seem interested in listening. He also came off as too impatient to explain to her what he was going to do to try and fix the issue, which she took as him doubting her intelligence.
Once the so-called “repairman” was finished, the problem had not been solved, but our co-owner still paid him for his time because he had been there for several hours. However, her husband did not react well to the fact that she did this, telling her that she should ask for her money back. Unfortunately, the man had been quite large, so our co-owner - who considers herself a medium-to-small-sized woman - felt too intimidated to confront him, so she allowed him to get away with cash that he really hadn’t deserved.
Well, did she look for someone else's help?
Eventually, our co-owner got a new system quote, and the person who assisted her with that spent about ten to fifteen minutes taking pictures before leaving without providing much helpful information. He didn’t even tell her how much a new system would cost! It took forever for him to finally send her a written quote with a dollar estimate.
Has something like this ever happened to you? If you answered yes, the sad truth is that a lot of contractors provide services that are this poor. It often seems as though the ones who can provide thorough, helpful service while being considerate of your feelings, time, and money are so difficult to find. Well, you should take the time to seek them out!
Why You Need A Good HVAC Contractor
While it may be easy for a homeowner to judge the customer service standards of a contractor based on things such as the time at which they show up, their attitude, and their willingness to answer questions, most have a hard time telling the difference between good and bad HVAC work. They usually only know the quality of the job a technician has done for them after they are finished, based on whether their system functions properly or continues having issues.
A homeowner wants a technician to solve the problem(s) with their system as soon as they can - preferably in one day - to save time and money. If the issue or issues can be diagnosed and repaired in one or a few days, a homeowner does not have to set aside as much time or pay extra for another company’s services. Otherwise, the stress of searching for the right company can get prolonged, and/or further damage to an HVAC system can result.
*insert picture of customer watching technician (if possible)*
There is also a mistake made by many homeowners: as soon as they have a functional HVAC system installed in their home, they view it as a one-time expense. The truth is that while you may not have to worry about buying a new system for a while, you need to spend money to keep it running, be it on maintenance every year or repairs every few years. Furthermore, getting an HVAC system installed is not a trial-and-error process. The one you select is the one you will have for at least the next ten years (hopefully much longer), as you cannot afford to repeatedly have systems tested, removed, and reinstalled until you find the perfect one.
For all these reasons, the first time a contractor serves you should be so excellent that you’ll want their assistance for years to come. Not only will it give you peace of mind that they know what they’re doing but benefit you in terms of factors such as priority scheduling, thoroughness of suggestions, and discounts.