Air Conditioning Contractor Duties
A qualified air-conditioning contractor is a professional that installs, repairs and maintains air conditioning systems. Unlike an HVAC technician, an AC contractor chooses to work with air conditioners only and specialises in them in the process. In certain cases, they could develop expertise in AC installation, repair and/or maintenance. They could also specialise in specific equipment types.
AC Contractor Job Profile
What an AC contractor does varies somewhat based on the industry the technician is working in and the specialty and position. A workday typically begins with learning about specific job requirements. The job could be repairing a leaking pipe, replacing a defective or damaged mechanical component, or adjusting equipment settings for enhanced performance. The following are some of the things you would see an AC contractor doing on the job.
• Replacing or repairing defective equipment
• Testing electrical components or circuits for continuity
• Improving AC performance by cleaning ducts, refilling refrigerants or cleaning ducts
• Connecting AC equipment to water, fuel or refrigerant sources
The kind of work done depends on the specific job or contract. For instance, on a big AC installation job, particularly ones in which the employees come under the purview of union contracts, duct installers and sheet metal workers might do to the ductwork, or electricians will take care of electrical work.
Tips to Choose a Company
Before hiring an AC service provider or contractor, ask about liability insurance, licensing and bonding. The AC setup is a complicated arrangement that only well-trained professionals can handle properly and safely.
Licensed AC contractors should have a certain level of training or on-the-job experience – usually two to five years. Solid experience is imperative to competently understand how things such as refrigerant, electrical wiring, airflow via heating ducts and combustion systems work in tandem to offer cooling to a space.
Most states require AC contractors to carry a license and several state governments provide license look-up sites where you could check the contractor’s license status. At times, individual municipalities and cities have their unique requirements for AC contractors.
Seek references. A professional AC service provider must have a ‘recent customers’ list. Get in touch with some of the customers on that list to verify they were happy with the services the company offered. Calling those references is important to acquire relevant information about their specific projects.
Also get estimates from multiple companies before zeroing in on one. Thanks to the high repairing, installation, and replacement costs, knowing the cost beforehand is vital.