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The
EPA and the manufacturers recommend that heating equipment
shouldn't be sized on square footage alone. |
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The
contractor should ask you about hot and cold spots in your home, as well
as your Comfort needs. |
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They
also say that you should not buy on price alone. There are many valid
reasons for price differences. Price is part of the picture and not the
picture. After all it’s not a blender that we are talking about. |
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What
to look for in an Alternative Energy Contractor. |
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All of the above applies
here as well. However, there is one more thing to consider. Many
contractors in an effort to be "Green" forget that most
people have a budget and most people expect equipment to pay for
itself in a reasonable period of time. |
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Helpful
Hints on Choosing the Right Contractor |
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On large projects get at least three bids. |
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► Quality of the Contractor and Quality of
the Installation are as important as the Quality
of the Equipment. |
|
► Your
contractor should have the highest professional & ethical standards.
It's unethical for any contractor to recommend equipment which isn't in
you best interest to buy. |
|
► Your system
should be custom designed to suit your needs. |
|
► Low
Operational Cost through energy and repair savings is preferable
to a "low cost system". |
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Understand what you are
paying for. |
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Understand Warranties. |
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Get a Firm Contract for large
projects. On Service Call Repairs understand the labor rates. Find out
if travel charges, overtimes rates etc. apply. It is
sometimes difficult if not impossible to provide estimates on repairs because a
contractor never knows what they will encounter on a repair. However,
the
contractor should never drop a bomb on you without giving you some ballpark figure. You have the right to ask for a not to exceed number.
Contractors should also take the time to explain repairs. |
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Don't put to much emphasis on
longevity in business. That doesn't mean much in Alaska. Due to the high
levels of rotation many contractors are still in business that probably
wouldn't be anywhere else. |
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Always ask your contractor how their technicians are paid. Is it by the
hour or the job? If technicians are paid by the job, the temptation to
rush on jobs is there. Some companies actually pay techs by the dollar
value on repairs. In our opinion is a recipe for disaster. |
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And
Most Import of All |
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Only Buy from a Contractor you Trust.
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