At some point, you may have a need for a contractor that deals in home energy products. For example you may need to buy a new furnace or perhaps repair your furnace. Or, you may need an HAVC (heating ventilation and air conditioning) tune up.

Whatever the case, going through your phone book will show that there are almost hundreds of contractors begging for your attention. Which one do you opt for? The ones with the fanciest or most familiar commercials on the TV or radio? The first one in the phone book? The one with the biggest ad?

The best possible advertisement for contractors, especially home energy ones, is good testimonials. Ask your friends and neighbors if they’ve had any exposure to a professional contractor. Aside from this, you can attempt to narrow the scope your search by proximity to your home or by area of expertise. For example, if you have a need for a furnace tune up only, try professionals that specialize in furnaces and HVAC work rather than those who might be a “jack of all trades”.

Its important to know that ad size or company size has no bearing at all on the service you should receive. In fact, just the opposite may be the case. A tiny operation or business of just one contractor may be totally dedicated to keeping you happy while a bigger shop with numerous employees may take less time to satisfy you – since they have multitudes of other customers!

I would put together a list of at least 3 or more contractor listings (I recommend at least 5). Call each one and ask if they can do the job, and if they do no charge in home estimates. Most will say they do. Arrange a time for them to come out and look at the installation. Require the estimate in writing, and have each contractor go over what they will do, or how they intend to fix the problem.

Be prepared for some of them to be pushy – and be prepared for many of the “contractors” that come out to your home for the estimate to not be contractors at all! Some companies (especially the larger ones) tend to send salesmen with some knowledge of home energy repairs that may know how to talk the talk – but wouldn’t know where to begin when it came down to the repair. These guys specialize in one thing – closing the sale! Be careful.

From the listing you have compiled do a quick web search for the repair professional, and especially reviews. Check forums, the Better Business Bureau, and consumer protection websites. You can also contact the company and ask for references. Most reputable ones have several that will compliment their work.

If you don’t feel comfortable dealing with a company based on reviews, simply remove them from your short list. You can choose whether you want to find more estimates at this point.

Now that you have several estimates that you are comfortable with in front of you, you can select the “winner”. It may not necessarily be the lowest bidder. Select the contractor or company you think seems to understand the most about your home, your goals, and the installation. In other words, the one that won’t screw you over.

Call them up and prepare to have the installation completed.

Sometimes you may feel pressure to make a decision on the double. This is really true if someone is leaning over you or soliciting you for a decision right away. The best thing is to take your time and make the right decision for your home. You must be 100% at ease with the decision – after all it is your home we’re talking about. If anyone is placing you in an awkward situation, ask for the proposal in writing and require some time to make a decision.

Selecting the right home energy contractor is a huge decision – but it doesn’t have to be horrible! Follow these tips and you’ll find yourself more relaxed.

David Andersen -
About the Author:

David Andersen is an energy expert and homeowner with over 5 years experience in saving energy. His current interests include energy conservation and home energy saving techniques and homeowner education on energy savings. His blog, which features http://www.utilitybillbusters.com