Blacklick, Ohio’s Best Heating and Cooling Companies

What You Should Expect From a Heating and Cooling Company

It sounds simple enough: You want honesty, dependability, and a company that suits the needs of your unique situation and home. How do you find that? Below are a few considerations that will separate the good from the bad.

Manual J Load Calculation

You will know early in the sales process, while you’re sitting down with a prospective HVAC contractor, if they will cut corners on your job. As part of the process, they will need to determine the size of the equipment you need. Another word for size is load, which establishes how much air the unit has to circulate.

There are two lazy ways to do it, both of them wrong. The first is to look at the equipment that’s to be replaced and use that figure. The problem with that is there’s no guarantee that it was correctly sized.

And maybe you’ve built an addition or have more occupants than you did when that unit was installed. Both circumstances would require a larger system, just as the installation of triple-paned windows might dictate a smaller one.

Read more: What Do Windows Have to Do with It? All About Windows and Your HVAC?

The second way to do it is to look only at the house’s square footage. That can come close, but it’s not foolproof.

If the system is the wrong size, is it a big deal? Yes.

If it’s too big, it will heat or cool too quickly. It’s called “short cycling.” When that happens, the air in your home won’t have the time to mix, leaving hot and cool spots. It’s also hard on the unit, having to start and stop too often. It is a recipe for repair bills and an early demise.

If it’s too small, it will have a hard time satisfying the thermostat when the outside temperature is at an extreme. It will run and run but will leave you feeling uncomfortable. It also drives up your energy bill and will be hard on the machine. Again, it’s part of the equation that points to premature failure.

The correct method is called a Manual J Load Calculation. The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) consider it the gold standard for installations. And a proper load calculation is required by national building codes and most state and local jurisdictions.

How long does it take? About 10-15 minutes. It takes into account a number of factors that can be easily measured. It’s simple math designed to determine the exact load needed for your unit. Contractors have no excuse for skipping this important step.

NATE Certification

It is fair to ask your HVAC salesperson if their technicians are NATE certified.

NATE stands for North American Technician Excellence, which is a non-profit organization designed to train technicians. NATE certifies HVAC techs through a series of knowledge- and experience-based testing, then initiates follow-up training and testing every two years.

Getting this certification is a sign that the company’s techs are aware of the latest equipment in HVAC, and that they aren’t installing a piece of equipment that they haven’t done before.

Paid by the Hour vs. Paid by the Job

Techs who are in a hurry to finish a job before moving on might be getting paid “piece rate.” The number of installations they perform, the higher their pay. It doesn’t much matter to them if the jobs are done right. They strive for quantity, not quality.

Unfortunately, furnaces and air conditioners don’t arrive out of the box ready to be plugged in. There are dozens of checks and balances to go through before they’re ready to provide optimal performance. What are the odds that someone paid by the job will take the time to make sure that everything is ideal?

On the other hand, you can have techs that are being paid by the hour. They will take the time to make sure everything is right.

Heat pumps, air conditioners, and furnaces need to go through a process called “commissioning” before they are ready to go.

Read more: The Importance of Commissioning in HVAC

Commissioning is a complete startup process for new heating or cooling equipment to make sure it’s operating within manufacturer specifications. Full commissioning takes about 45 minutes per major equipment type. Operating at these correct specs increases the efficiency, comfort, and longevity of your system.

Again, we’ll ask the obvious question. Which type of tech would you prefer to work on the installation? One who may skip steps and leave you with a sub-par job, or one who will take the time necessary?

Finding a Trusted HVAC Company in Blacklick

As you sift through the contractors who might do the job, we hope we’ve given you some things to watch for and to watch out for. You want an HVAC contractor that doesn't cut corners or do the bare minimum just to get the job done. The job can get done, but we hope the job gets done right.

You can click the image below to download our “HVAC Contractor Checklist.” It will help you keep track of the questions you should ask potential HVAC contractors before you hire them.

Fire & Ice Customer Reviews: Blacklick, Ohio

The trust of our customers means everything to us, so we love hearing about how we were able to assist in their comfort needs. See what some of our customers have had to say about us:

“Had issues with the Trane communicating XV18 system that was installed by Fire & Ice, very complex system with variable speed heat pump but I can say they are a great company. They came out very fast in response to the systems issues and Jerad was able to fix the problems it was having with the aux heat and also explain what was happening with the system. Very happy with how the system is running after almost a year and even happier the company is so easy to deal with when issues have come up.” -- Jeff Yost

“Outstanding HVAC company - I am very happy with the new Trane furnace and air conditioner. Starting with sales, I particularly appreciate the straightforward presentation of options for me coupled with reasons why to upgrade now. There was no pressure to buy that minute. When I said I needed to think about it, I was respected, not conned. There was no scaring me that my working 25-year-old furnace & air conditioner was going to kill me which happened twice unsuccessfully by two different companies 15 and 17 years earlier. So I was able to weigh if now was the right time for me to buy for a couple of weeks. My salesman Luke kept me in the loop checking in with me several times regarding what I was thinking. He encouraged me without pressuring me - truly a gifted salesman. Installers were completely professional, worked tirelessly to do the installation, and wore masks at all times. A brief cooling issue was resolved that evening - so after an eight-hour installation process and one additional hour of tweaking the airflow, I couldn’t be happier. Great company. Love the touch screen smart thermostat I can regulate on my phone!!! Imagine that! Premier product!” -- Susan Farquhar

Read more: What to Expect at Your In-Home HVAC Estimate

Choosing an HVAC Company in Blacklick, Ohio

Homeowners often ask us about which brand of furnace or air conditioner will be the best. The truth is that any brand can do the job satisfactorily. What’s most important is the HVAC company you choose to work with.

An ideal contractor will treat you with the respect you deserve, listen carefully to your comfort and budget concerns, and install your system right the first time. That will ensure you get a piece of equipment that will last 15 trouble-free years.

If you decide to give Fire & Ice a try, we’d love to talk to you.