Questions to ask an HVAC contractor before you hire

Updated · KeystoneProGuide editorial team

What should you ask before hiring an HVAC company?

Ask questions whose answers you can check. A friendly answer to "Are you good?" tells you nothing; a registration number, a certification card, a load calculation and a model number can all be verified. The list below is grouped by what each answer protects you from.

What should you ask about the company?

  1. What is your Pennsylvania home improvement registration number? Most companies installing or replacing heating or cooling equipment in a home must register with the Attorney General, and the number, PA followed by digits, must be printed on their estimates and contracts. You can check it on the state's contractor search.
  2. What liability insurance do you carry, and can I see the certificate? Registration requires at least $50,000 of personal injury and $50,000 of property damage coverage. Seeing the certificate tells you it is current.
  3. Who will actually do the work? Ask whether the installers are the company's own staff or subcontractors, and who to call if something goes wrong.
  4. Can you give me references from jobs like mine? ENERGY STAR suggests calling them and asking whether the job was finished on time and within budget.

What should you ask about the people working on your system?

  1. Is the technician who will work on my air conditioner or heat pump EPA certified? Federal rules require Section 608 certification for anyone who connects gauges to measure refrigerant pressure or adds or removes refrigerant. Apprentices may work only under close supervision of a certified technician.
  2. In Philadelphia: who on the crew holds the city sheet metal license? The city's mechanical permit requires sheet metal work to be done by a licensed sheet metal technician or apprentice employed by the contractor. Details are in the Philadelphia guide.

What should you ask about sizing and design?

  1. Will you do a load calculation, and can I have a copy? ENERGY STAR says the size should come from the actual characteristics of your home, not a rule of thumb, and that oversized equipment may cycle too often and wear out sooner.
  2. Will you look at the ducts? ENERGY STAR advises asking for a duct inspection, a leakage test and any necessary repairs as part of a quality installation, and for airflow to be checked against the manufacturer's specifications.
  3. How will you check the refrigerant charge after installation? Properly charging an air conditioner or heat pump reduces energy use and the risk of failure, according to ENERGY STAR.

What should you ask about the equipment?

  1. What are the exact model numbers of the indoor and outdoor units? Without them, two quotes cannot be compared. ENERGY STAR says the signed proposal should list model numbers along with costs, schedule and warranty.
  2. What is the efficiency rating? For a gas furnace in Pennsylvania, ENERGY STAR certification requires 97% AFUE or more. For a split-system heat pump it requires at least 15.2 SEER2 and 7.8 HSPF2. Ask whether the model offered meets those levels and, if not, what the more efficient option would cost.
  3. For a heat pump: is this a cold-climate model? ENERGY STAR's cold-climate designation requires the unit to deliver at least 70 percent of its rated heating capacity at 5°F.
  4. For an older air conditioner: what refrigerant does it use? If the answer is HCFC-22, the EPA says none has been produced or imported since 2020, so ask what a recharge would cost before agreeing to repair a leak.

What should you ask about permits and the job itself?

  1. Who is getting the permit, and when will it be inspected? Pennsylvania's construction code regulation requires a permit to install or replace a gas or mechanical system in a home; an emergency replacement can go first if the application follows within 3 business days. The Federal Trade Commission lists a contractor who asks you to get the permits among the warning signs of a home improvement scam.
  2. Is removal of the old equipment included? Angi, a cost survey, lists old furnace removal at $60 to $330 when it is charged separately.
  3. What else might be added once you open things up? HomeAdvisor, another cost survey, lists ductwork and thermostat upgrades among the costs to budget for on top of the equipment. Ask for each to be priced on the estimate rather than discovered on the day.

What should you ask about the warranty?

  1. What does the manufacturer's warranty cover, and for how long? The FTC says a warranty must be available for you to read before you buy.
  2. Does it cover labor, or only parts? The FTC suggests asking whether you would have to pay for labor under the warranty.
  3. Do I have to register the equipment for the full warranty? Some warranties require you to return a registration card to qualify for service.
  4. Does the warranty depend on yearly maintenance? Some cover only problems that happen after the product has been maintained as directed.
  5. What does your own workmanship guarantee cover? Get any spoken promise in writing; the FTC warns a business may later refuse a service that was not written down.

What should you ask about money and the contract?

  1. What is the payment schedule? The FTC advises not paying the full amount up front and not making the final payment until the work is done and you are satisfied.
  2. If you offer financing, what are the terms? The FTC says never to agree to financing through a contractor without shopping around and comparing loan terms.
  3. Does the contract include my right to cancel? For home improvement contracts over $500, Pennsylvania requires a written contract with the total price, approximate dates and a notice of your right to cancel within three business days.

What a good answer to each of these looks like is covered in how to choose an HVAC contractor. Businesses are listed on the HVAC contractors directory page.

Sources

  1. Frequently Asked Questions: Home Improvement Contractor Registration, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
  2. Home Improvement Contractor Search, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
  3. Section 608 Technician Certification Requirements, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  4. 10 Tips for Hiring a Heating and Cooling Contractor, ENERGY STAR
  5. HVAC Quality Installation, ENERGY STAR
  6. Furnaces Key Product Criteria, ENERGY STAR
  7. Heat Pump Equipment Key Product Criteria, ENERGY STAR
  8. 34 Pa. Code § 403.62. Permit requirements and exemptions., Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Code)
  9. Warranties, Federal Trade Commission
  10. How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam, Federal Trade Commission
  11. Phaseout of Class II Ozone-Depleting Substances, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  12. How Much Does a New Furnace Cost? [2026 Data], Angi
  13. How Much Does It Cost to Install or Replace an HVAC System?, HomeAdvisor

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