Living in Napa comes with many benefits, but the weather can be a mixed blessing. At times, it can be glorious to lounge in the sunlight, and the sunsets can be absolutely breathtaking. However, dealing with the heat can be another matter entirely. Even at night, homes without air conditioners can be particularly stuffy and uncomfortable, causing inhabitants to toss and turn instead of getting a good night’s rest. Make no mistake about it, neighbours: beating the heat is crucial in a place like this.
I’ve seen people try all kinds of different things to stay cool in the Napa area, but nothing beats the effects of a quality air conditioner. Many other methods for staying cool require constant work, like fanning yourself or making a cold drink—but once you turn on a well-maintained air conditioner, you can sit back, relax, and let it run in the background. Furthermore, those other methods tend to only affect one or two parts of your body at a time, whereas air conditioning cools every part of you at once.
I say “well-maintained” in the above paragraph because an air conditioner must be taken care of to remain convenient. With proper care and attention, an air conditioner is a luxurious appliance that can save you much discomfort, but if you neglect your air conditioner, it will neglect you. That’s why regular preventative maintenance and occasional service are so important. There are certain things you can do on your own to maximise the lifespan of your cooling system, but unless you’re an HVAC technician, you won’t be able to do everything independently. That’s why I love my air conditioning service in Napa.
I’m not going to spend the rest of this article pitching my HVAC contractors to you—in fact; I’m not even going to mention them by name. What I will tell you is what qualities to look for in an HVAC contractor, so that you can make an informed decision you’ll be happy with and not feel as if you’ve been sold something. Below are the qualities that led me to my AC service company, and why I believe they’re important. Use these criteria to find a service company you can trust, and beat the heat all summer!
Proper Qualifications: Look for the C-20!
One of the best benchmarks for assessing any company is their level of experience. Contractors who have been in the game for a long time will have more skill, and a greater depth of knowledge to tap into than those who have not. However, it’s also important to note that there are different levels of experience—someone might have several years of experience as an apprentice, but only a few months on their own as a journeyman.
That’s where licenses come into play. All HVAC technicians in the state of California are required to hold a C-20 license from the State License Board to work on jobs costing more than $500. Now, maybe you don’t need a $500 fix for your air conditioner—but even if you don’t, you should choose a licensed contractor. Having a license means your contractor has more than four years of experience at or above a journeyman level. It guarantees a certain degree of competence, which you may or may not find in an unlicensed contractor.
Reasonable Prices: You Get What You Pay for, But Only to a Point
When I say, you should look for affordable prices; I should clarify: I’m not saying you should choose the cheapest contractor you can find. Cheap contractors are usually cheap for a reason: they may not be licensed since the law provides an incentive for unlicensed contractors to offer lower prices for their work. They may also cut corners in other ways, which means you can’t necessarily expect quality work from them. That said, it’s also important to make sure you’re not paying too much for AC service.
You can’t predict what AC service will cost to the dollar because a lot of can influence the final price. However, you can obtain a general idea of what many regular services will cost by looking at the average prices for the current year. You can then ask for a quote from the contractor you’re considering ahead of time, and compare it to that information. I encourage everybody to check out these numbers before hiring a contractor so that they can make sure they’re being quoted a fair price.
Approachability and Customer Service
The last thing you’ll want to look for in an air conditioning service in Napa is how they treat you. Are you a valued client or just a source of money? Spend a bit of time talking to your contractor before you agree to hire them, and you should be able to find out. You want to work with people who care about you because they’ll work harder to make sure you’re always satisfied.
Look for the license, find someone who offers a fair price, and make sure your AC service technicians treat you with respect. A company which meets all those requirements is a company you can trust to work on your air conditioner and keep you comfortable throughout Napa’s hottest months.
At Valley Comfort Heating and Air, we jump at the opportunity to prove our value to new customers. In your search for a qualified air conditioning service in Napa, please check us out.
