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What Questions Should I Ask a Heating Oil Contractor?
What Questions Should I Ask a Heating Oil Contractor?
Posted: August 16, 2021
If you’re looking for a heating contractor to upgrade or service a heating oil system in your Rhode Island home, it pays to do your homework so you can separate the legitimate candidates from the also-rans.
Here are six basic questions you should ask any potential heating contractor before you commit to working with them:
How long have you been in the business? For technicians, there is no substitute for experience – the more of it your contractor has, the better.
Are you licensed? Any legitimate candidate will have a license number you can look up with the National Contractor License Service; give preference to candidates who are certified by North American Technician Excellence (NATE).
Are you insured? You don’t want to assume any of the risk for the work a contractor performs on your home. Ask for proof of insurance for worker’s compensation and liability.
Can you provide testimonials?Feedback and reviews – particularly those collected by third parties like ReviewBuzz – are a good indicator of how satisfied customers have been with your contractor. Look for positive and negative reviews, and look for trends in customer comments.
Can you provide a written estimate? Never work with a contractor unless they will provide a detailed estimate that includes a description of all covered work, including any fees for parts, labor, and possible add-ons or options.
Is your work guaranteed in writing? For how long? A good contractor will always stand by his work. Look for a guarantee that covers all work and equipment for at least one year – especially if your system is installed during the offseason (the guarantees from some contractors will actually expire before you ever use the system!). A good contractor will also do what’s needed to keep your current warrantees in force.
If you’re looking for qualified technicians for your oil-fired heating system in the months to come, contact Vaughn Oil today. All of our technicians are licensed and insured, and most have more than 20 years of experience with every type of heating system around. We provide FREE detailed written estimates – and we stand by all our installations with a one year guarantee!
If you’re looking for a heating contractor to upgrade or service a heating oil system in your Rhode Island home, it pays to do your homework so you can separate the legitimate candidates from the also-rans.