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.
Criteria Of A Good HVAC Contractor
When searching for an HVAC contractor, you are going to want to get quality work, a fair price, and a short time frame all in one. Here’s where reality hits: you will never simultaneously get all three. You can get great service for a fair price, but you will have to alot a fair amount of time for the technician to do their thorough work. You can also get a quick HVAC repair for a cheap price, but the end result may not be everything you hope it to be. And sometimes, a company may be able to do excellent work in a short time, but they charge more because of it.
You want a company that can supply a satisfying degree of all three. So, what do you look for?
There are a number of things to pay attention to when trying to find a long-term contractor. If the company you seek out does abide by the following standards, do not hire them.
Customer Reputation
Always start here. You cannot trust anything that an HVAC company personally tells you. You need to hear about them from past and current customers.
When researching a contractor, check their online reviews. Search engines such as Google and Yahoo and sites like Yelp and HomeAdvisor allow users to give their opinions on companies they have solicited, typically by rating them out of five stars and/or providing written feedback. A company is usually trustworthy if they have been reviewed hundreds of times and have a rating of 4.5 or above. If they are hovering around or below a 4, there is a decent amount of people who took issue with them for one reason or another.
Don’t stop here either. Get those people’s opinions directly. Ask the contractor for references; if they cannot supply any, that is a huge red flag. Then contact those references to hear what they have to say. For all you know, someone who at one point left a five-star review may have since had a terrible experience with the same company and forgot to update their review.
If this is not enough for you, you can also check a contractor’s rating on the Better Business Bureau’s website. These ratings range from A+ to F. An A+ rating for a company means the B.B.B. considers them to be of the highest quality possible.
*insert picture of SuperTech's Google rating*
Size & Experience Of Staff
Not only do you want the contractor servicing you to have extremely knowledgeable and well-trained technicians, but a large staff as well.
In terms of individual technicians, it is better for them to have several years of professional experience so that they will have handled a wider range of situations. A repair person who is new to the professional field may have done an excellent job in educating themselves, but they won’t really learn anything until they can diagnose and fix customer problems on their own. The more hands-on experience they have, the more knowledgeable they become. Furthermore, the highest standard for technicians is being certified by N.A.T.E. (North American Trade Excellence), an organization that deeply tests HVAC expertise. It would be much better for the company you service to at least have their lead technician be N.A.T.E. certified.
You also want a contractor to have a decent number of technicians on their staff. If they have more individuals readily available, they can service more locations at once. This means that customers don’t have to wait as long to get an appointment. You also want to make sure that the technicians are held to certain standards, such as politeness, thoroughly explaining repairs, and doing safety tests after completing their work.
*insert team picture of technicians*
Licensing & Insurance
Licensing and insurance requirements vary according to state, so you need to make sure you know the laws of Maryland and whether the HVAC contractor you select abides by them.
If a contractor is not insured and/ or licensed to perform HVAC work, they are not legally allowed to do the jobs you employ them for. If you don’t ask for proof of their licenses and insurance before they get to work on your system and they end up damaging your home or causing injury to someone who lives in it, you as the homeowner will be held responsible.
Don’t put yourself in this situation. Make sure you have sound proof of licenses and insurance forms when working out a deal with a contractor.
Special Offers
You usually expect special offers and discounts to be put out during unique occasions, such as holidays and when companies release a highly anticipated new product. But some HVAC contractors actually become successful through regularly cheaper prices. They understand that they don’t have to charge crazy prices to supply excellent service and be profitable because so many customers want great results at an affordable cost.
Prices can often be the way to judge whether or not a contractor truly cares about their customers. If they clearly lay out and explain all their costs and options to you and don’t pressure you to buy certain products, then you know they understand their boundaries and want to help you get what you are looking for. But if they aggressively push certain options at you and pay seemingly no attention to your needs and requests, they clearly only care about getting you to spend as much as possible.
You can often find reduced prices when looking for new HVAC systems. In fact, when speaking with a sales technician, they might present you with a cheaper option and go on and on about its benefits to draw you in. This isn’t a wholly terrible practice, but pay close attention to what you are not being told about the system. You don’t want to get tricked into purchasing a system that actually has a lot of flaws just because it is affordable and seems effective on the surface. Keep a sharp eye to avoid getting scammed!
Past Experience With The Job You Need Done
A contractor may have licenses and insurance, quality and affordable service, and a large staff of certified technicians. But all of this means nothing if they don’t have experience working on the unit you need tuned up, repaired, or replaced.
Compare different components of an in-home HVAC system the way you would the HVACs of a house and car: they produce the same outcome, but do not work exactly the same. In fact, the indoor unit of an HVAC system is responsible for completely different functions than the outdoor condenser. Just because the two parts are connected, you can’t figure out how to work on both of them strictly by having experience with one.
What’s more, the interior makeup of HVAC systems differs based on their make, model, and year of production. Based on changes in technology over two decades alone, a Carrier-brand furnace from the late 1990s is wildly different than a new Lennox model produced this year.
You need to make sure that the company serving you has experience working with the exact system in your house. Otherwise, they may have no idea how to fix it or compare it to another system. And if you let them try and learn how the system works by practicing on yours, they could further damage it and leave you with more repairs to financially tend to.
Conducting A Home Evaluation
Whether or not a contractor plans to work on your HVAC on the day they visit, they should always do a home evaluation first. This allows them to identify any and all problems with your system beforehand and take note of factors such as the size and age of your house, the total number of windows, and the insulation. Especially if you are planning on purchasing a new system, knowing these factors helps a technician figure out what system is right for your home.
If a contractor does not plan on conducting an evaluation of your home, immediately rule them out as an option. This is an absolutely essential step that ensures your in-home situation does not end up being worse than it was before the technician arrived.
Payment Terms
This loops back to what we said about special offers, as you want the total cost that you spend on an HVAC-related need to be within your budget and not stress you out financially. If a contractor truly cares about how their services affect your money, they will continue to work out a price with you until you feel comfortable. If they don’t, they will continually emphasize certain options until you either buy or demand that they leave.
Do not feel pressured into agreeing to a contractor’s relentless demands just because you do not want to spend time looking for someone else. They are dealing with your home, your system, and your money, and should treat all three the way that you do. It is also proper for them to bill you after completing their work. If you pay them cash without a written agreement, they could disappear with your money and you’ll never hear from them again.
Supplying Written Estimates & Proposals Before The Job
Just like any major transaction in this day and age, you want to have everything in writing before an HVAC contractor serves you. In particular, you want to compare things such as costs and warranties, as a higher price can sometimes be the better option because it provides you with more benefits. You want everything laid out in the clearest terms possible so that you can see exactly what you are agreeing to before actually doing so.
Signing a proposal or contract is also a means of protecting yourself, as it leaves the contractor completely responsible for anything that may go wrong as long as you keep up your end of what was agreed to in the written documentation.
*insert picture of technician sitting and talking with customer (if possible)*
We Provide Everything You're Looking For In An HVAC Contractor
How Can I Tell If An HVAC Technician Is Good Or Not?
Oftentimes, the way a contractor presents themselves can make or break whether the problems with your system get fixed and whether you are satisfied with the service you get.
Signs Of A Good Technician
- You receive a call in advance that the technician is on their way, preferably within an hour of when they are supposed to arrive.
- The technician shows up on time, comes off as positive, and appears ready to inspect and fix your system.
- The inspection and/or repairs get completed within a timeframe that does not inconvenience you. Ideally, the technician will give an estimate for how long they’ll need to get their work done and have everything completed by then.
- Once they have finished their work and know what caused the problems, the technician explains to you what happened in clear detail. If you have questions about what they tell you, they display patience and provide helpful answers to everything you ask.
- If you need further repairs done on your system or something replaced, the technician helps you work out a price for a satisfactory product that fits your budget.
*insert a picture of a technician at work*
However, not all technicians come off this way, and you’ll need to know if the one you have selected is not a good fit.
Signs Of A Bad Technician
- A technician should not have difficulty inspecting your system and determining its problems. If they seem confused about what they are doing or cannot figure out what caused the issue, you should not allow them to continue.
- A technician can act disrespectfully in several ways, even by simply not responding to you once you greet them. Other examples are directing a negative attitude at you, responding sarcastically to your questions, saying or doing anything to question your intelligence, or blatantly insulting you.
- Technicians may display suspicious or illegal behavior. For example, they may consume alcoholic beverages or illegal substances on the job. They may also steal things from you; it should be easy to tell if something in your house is missing after they leave. And in a situation that we hope isn’t common, they may even lay hands on you. If any of this occurs, you should alert the authorities immediately.
- A technician’s ultimate goal may be to get as much money out of you as possible. They can often take on the aggressive salesman role and relentlessly try to push you into buying expensive and/or unnecessary products.
- If you do not repeatedly check on a technician while they work, they might take advantage of it. After finishing their work, they may claim they did everything to fix your system, but you must decide that for yourself. If issues with your system continue to present themselves, the technician may have either done something incorrectly or not done everything they claimed to have.
If any of these situations occur with an HVAC technician you encounter, do not elicit their help again. And don’t be afraid to complain to a contractor about their technicians or turn the situation into a legal matter if necessary. We at SuperTech heavily frown upon these situations, so please let us know if you feel one of our repair people has mistreated you.
How A Proper Visit From An HVAC Technician Should Go
- The technician shows up on time with a friendly manner and a desire to get to work.
- From the issues they have been presented with, the technician thoroughly examines your system to get to the root of all its issues; they then explain those problems to you in a way you can understand.
- The technician works out a price with you for any repairs or installations necessary, as well as a date and time to get them completed if they are unable to do so that day.
- On the repair or installation date, the technician completes the task, performs tests when finished to ensure they have fixed the issue, explains to you what they did, and answers any questions you have.
If the visit does not run this smoothly, or if issues with your system persist after the technician leaves, you chose the wrong service.
*insert picture of technician at work*
How SuperTech Compares To The Criteria
We will advise you again: the only person whose judgment you can really trust is your own. You should do your own research and not take anything that a company tells you about itself at face value. And that includes SuperTech, as you can only get to know our technicians and phone operators so well. You aren’t even sure who wrote the article you are reading now!
That being said, we would like to expand upon what we told you at the beginning: we view our company as the best because we strive to be the best. We are the top-rated HVAC contractor in the Baltimore Metro area, family-owned, and view ourselves as a giver to the community as much as we do a business. And to show why we view ourselves the way we do, we will run ourselves through the criteria we provided before.
First things first, we are licensed, bonded, and insured. Now how about our accolades? We have a rating of 4.9 stars on Google based on over 200 reviews, an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, EPA certification, and a number of awards (including two wins for the Angie’s List Super Service Award in the past five years). We are also partnered with Lowe’s to help give back to the community through their Hero’s Project.
What about your technicians?
We have a large staff of technicians, all of which are at the very least CFC certified. They are each held to the standards of being on time to jobs; acting polite to customers; performing thorough inspections of systems; being patient with customers and helping them work out prices until they are fully satisfied; getting maintenance, repairs, and installations properly completed in a timely manner; explaining to customers what they plan to do and what they have done once they are finished; and answering any and all questions that customers have.
We also have very fair prices, including a standard $99 diagnostic repair fee for regular customers and a Savings Club membership for only $19.97 a month that brings a number of discounts and benefits. In some cases, we even install certain parts and units for free to help customers save. And when working out transactions with customers, we may recommend certain items and services that we think might help them, but pressure anyone into purchasing anything. We are also concerned with working around customers’ time, so we alert them at least half an hour before our technicians arrive, show up on time, contact homeowners in case of any emergencies, and get our jobs done as quickly as possible.
Anything else you should tell us?
Well, you know we possess the necessary expertise because our founder/service tech manager is a true “supertech”: he is N.A.T.E. certified, has been in the HVAC industry since 1999, and possesses expertise that takes years to hone. So there is always someone at our company who can diagnose any issue that a heating and cooling system faces. We also set aside pre-installations as jobs so that our repair people can get houses set up for easy walkthroughs in and out when installing something. And finally, we offer free estimates, lay out everything in writing before we work on systems, and have workable financing options.
*insert picture of Steven from website home page*
Once again, please do your own research, but that should just about cover it.
Best HVAC Contractors In Maryland
SuperTech HVAC Services
Let’s summarize what we’re about here at SuperTech in simpler terms: we are the Baltimore Metro Area’s top-rated HVAC contractor because we are known for our on-time and professional service, willingness to explain our processes to customers in clear detail, patience to answer any questions, and care with working out a fitting price for anyone we serve. As a family-owned business, we place ourselves in the shoes of every customer and make sure to leave them in a situation where they are satisfied with our service and do not feel stressed out by prices.
We provide maintenance, repairs, and installations for various HVAC systems including (but not limited to) ACs, furnaces, heat pumps, ductless mini-splits, and whole-house humidifiers and dehumidifiers. The fact that we are the best is reflected in our A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, EPA certification, 4.9 rating on Google, and numerous awards (including two for the Angie’s List Super Service Award). We are also a community provider and help give back through our partnership with Lowe’s and their Hero’s Project, so you know we truly care!
While we believe you should come to us for any of your HVAC needs, we figured we might as well throw out the names of several other great Maryland contractors:
Horizon Services
A large multi-state chain enterprise, Horizon has been in business since 1987. They provide plumbing services along with heating and cooling and specialize in same-day maintenance and repairs and next-day installations. They provide a number of other benefits as well, including no-charge 24/7 emergency service, an “on time or it’s free” guarantee, and wearing clothing and shoe coverings during jobs to avoid dirtying people’s homes. They have held an A+ rating from the B.B.B. for over fifteen years, received eight Dave Lennox Awards, and have 4.7 stars on Google from almost 1,200 reviews!
*insert Horizon Services-related picture (if possible)*
Minnick’s
Another family-owned local company based in Laurel, Minnicks has been in business for almost 70 years and had three family generations work for them. Like Horizon, they provide services for plumbing as well. All of their technicians have N.A.T.E., Maryland HVAC Journeyman, BPI, and Energy Star certifications, and they promise to provide free service if their work doesn’t 100% fulfill the results they promise. They too are rated 4.7 on Google from over 270 reviews.
*insert Minnick's-related picture (if possible)*
Blue Dot Heating & AC
Another multi-state enterprise now owned by ARS, Blue Dot has been in business for about 50 years and can service people seven days a week. They instill courteousness in their technicians and offer convenient appointment times, free estimates, guaranteed satisfaction (or a full refund), and something that they call “Blue Carpet Service” (such as changing a blown light bulb in a house for free). They have faced countless situations, and their excellent reputation is reflected in their 4.5 Google rating based on over 2,500 reviews!
*insert Blue Dot-related picture (if possible)*
One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning
The third multi-state chain we figured we’d mention, One Hour serves locations all across the country and reflects its name in its on-time and efficient service. The company abides by a “strict code of ethics” and is locally based in many states due to the various locations they have set up in the U.S. They make a promise to show up to their customers’ houses on time and try to handle any problem they face in a single day. This is all part of their 100% satisfaction guarantee. Their Mount Airy, MD location has 4.7 stars out of almost 400 reviews.
*insert One Hour-related picture (if possible)*
JDL HVAC Services
JDL has an NCI membership, uses the highest quality equipment and parts for installs, and has a 4.6 rating on HomeAdvisor from over 750 reviews.
James A. Wheat & Sons, Inc.
This company is also family-owned and has an NCI membership, as well as a 4.8 Google star rating from over 500 reviews.
Amazing Heating & Air Conditioning
Amazing personally claims that it was “founded on the principle of providing the highest quality customer service,” serving eight different locations in Maryland with 4.6 stars on Google from over 650 reviews.
At Your Service Heating and Cooling
They may have only been around for nine years, but this family-owned and Baltimore-based contractor has won numerous awards and a 4.7-star rating from over 230 Google reviews.
Reliability Home Services
A Dundalk-based company that serves locations in Pennsylvania as well, Reliability Home is also based on the principle of showing the personal care that so many contractors avoid and has a 4.7-star rating from slightly over 300 reviews on Google.
To Conclude...
We hope that after reading this blog, you feel confident in determining the proper HVAC contractor for your needs. Heating and cooling systems are essential for in-home comfortability, so you need to ensure that the prices you pay to maintain and repair them are satisfactory.
So do everything you can! Take time to research and ask around about companies, keep an eye out for the way technicians address you, and make sure the prices and services you agree on are well-suited for your wants and needs.
And remember: SuperTech HVAC can provide all the help you need with any of this. So for any HVAC assistance in Maryland, don’t hesitate to contact us!