The quest to find an expert air conditioning installation contractor should not be an onerous one. In this blog we highlight our top tips on how to find the right company to suit your business’ air conditioning requirements and get the reassurance that you need for making a major capital investment.
Always begin by identifying your company’s air conditioning needs. That is, establish which areas are uncomfortable and require climate control. This means conditioning the air to remove CO2, moisture, gases, odours, pollutants and uncomfortable humidity.
Always do some basic desk research.
The minimum requirement you should look for in an air conditioning installation company is registration with the trade association REFCOM and F-Gas certification. Most professional contractors are registered, so be very wary of any that aren’t. The easiest way to ensure your business takes an environmentally responsible approach to refrigerant management is to employ an F-Gas certified installation contractor. It’s easy to find a company near you by visiting the REFCOM register of contractors at https://www.refcom.org.uk/refcom-register/ .
Check out the company’s website to establish any other useful accreditations such as Constructionline or CHAS. Both of these demonstrate competency in Health and Safety procedures.
Find out whether the air conditioning installation contractor’s qualifications include complementary skills such as electrical services. Having a team of in-house electricians could be a major bonus to the smooth running of an installation project and could avoid delays in subcontracting out the electrical aspects to an additional contractor.
Another indicator of a competent and dependable company is the length of time that they have been trading. A long-established business is usually one with experienced staff and satisfied customers.
How can you choose between companies?
You cannot simply rely upon desk research; you need also to request references and reviews – a great contractor will be happy to supply referees with systems similar to yours. Also ask for Case Studies and articles offering specific advice relating to your business or premises, surprisingly, these are not always on the company’s website.
Take up any offer of a free survey and no obligation quote. This is a great chance to meet the contractor and judge their understanding of your needs in person.
The company’s commitment to energy savings is also noteworthy, in particular the air conditioning system options they provide to keep your energy use to a minimum.
Take note of how interested they are in the aesthetics of your project. Skills and qualifications are essential but so too are aesthetics. The contractor needs to take account of your interiors and confirm with you the finish they will achieve.
Enquire about their availability – if they are available immediately it might be a sign that they have few satisfied customers and ring some warning bells for you.
Maintaining your commercial air conditioning installation
Since a maintenance contract is the best way to protect your investment and keep your equipment running efficiently, we suggest that you use an installation contractor that also offers maintenance services.
A good installation and maintenance company will ensure that you comply with the air conditioning regulations and remind you when service visits are due. High calibre contractors also offer 24-hour call outs if you have critical cooling requirements.