5 Things To Watch Out For When Choosing a Heating and Air Contractor

Beware of "Bait and Switch" tactics and other "Gotcha" techniques

Many people feel at a loss when it comes to choosing a heating and air contractor: you may ask yourself, how do I know if I'm getting a good deal or how do I know if I'm getting ripped off? Unfortunately, too many consumers don't realize they've been "had" till after the repair or equipment replacement has already been done and they are presented with an exorbitant bill to pay! The only sure-fire way to be sure you are being treated fairly is to go with a contractor who has a reputation for excellence in the industry such as Hartman Heating. However, here are 5 things that you should watch out for when choosing a heating and air contractor.

1. Free Diagnostics (but with strings attached): Although many good contractors (including Hartman Heating) will periodically offer free diagnostic services to the community during less busy times of year, a disreputable company will only offer free diagnostics if it comes with hidden strings attached. For example, a company may offer free diagnostics but will then grossly overcharge the customer for a replacement part as a way to compensate for the "free" service.
   
   
• Hartman Heating will never offer free diagnostic services with hidden strings attached: we pride ourselves on our honesty and integrity, and you can count on us to charge you a fair price upfront with no surprises.
2. "Free" Equipment with the purchase of a system: Be wary of any heating and air contractor who is offering equipment for "free." In reality, it seldom is free. For example, let's say you need a new furnace: a contractor may offer to replace your air conditioner for "free" along with the furnace (even if you don't need the air conditioner)! You go along with the offer, but instead of being charged $3,000 for a furnace, you are charged $6,000 for the furnace. Why? Because of the "free" air conditioner!
   
   
• Hartman Heating will never include the cost of "free" equipment into your purchase price on a new system: we respect our customers and our extremely high rate of return customers and referrals speaks for itself.
3. Unsubstantiated "claims" of providing skilled, certified technicians: Any contractor can claim to hire only highly-trained, skilled, and certified technicians, but can they prove it? There are many Fly by Night companies out there vying for your business along with the legitimate ones. Insist on hiring only those contracting companies that are licensed, bonded, and insured for your own protection and that can provide proof of their technicians' qualifications.
   
   
• Paul Hartman, founder and owner of Hartman Heating, is a board member of the Rocky Mountain Gas Association (RMGA): so he knows a thing or two about who qualifies as a skilled technician! We hire only the best of the best in the industry, and we are serious about only sending out highly-skilled, certified technicians to your home. We never sub-contract our work: all of our techs are our paid employees. Trane comfort systems has given Hartman Heating its coveted Intermountain Training Award as a result of our extensive continuing education program. Our technicians literally have hundreds more hours of training than any other company in the valley.

4. Pricing policies that may be ripping you off: Many heating and air contractors charge their customers an hourly rate, so you never know how much you're going to pay until the job is done. If the company chooses to send out a more inexperienced technician, you may end up paying twice as much as you would for a seasoned technician who does the job in only half the time. Beware of contractors who charge either an hourly rate or who pay their technicians on a "per job" basis.

• At Hartman Heating, we will offer you a fixed price for the whole job before we start: so you can choose whether or not you want us to do the work. With us, there is no fine print and no surprise pricing: we are always honest and upfront with our customers and promise to offer expert service at a reasonable rate.
5. They don't honor their warranties or guarantees: This is a hard one to determine over the phone or even in person, but it can be a real problem for customers when they choose the wrong heating and cooling contractor! Many customers pay for a warranty only to discover that the contractor they chose refuses to honor it. If there is a problem with the repair or installation, the contractor may not come back for a week or he may not even come back at all. In fact, many Utah heating and air customers attempt to contact the contractor they worked with only to find out that they have vanished into the night! The only way to prevent this problem is to choose a heating and cooling contractor with a reputation for excellence in the marketplace: in other words, don't take chances with such an important investment.
   
   
• There are many great reasons why 78% of Hartman's business comes from repeat customers as well as referrals: one of the most important ones is that we really do honor our promises! You can count on us to honor warranties and back up our work with a 60-day labor guarantee. We are also licensed, bonded, and insured for your further protection and peace of mind. Hartman has been in business for 20 years and will be there when you need us.

With Hartman, you will always receive "Expert Service at a Reasonable Rate"

"I guarantee you'll enjoy your HARTMAN Experience" - Paul Hartman