The cold weather has come knocking and isn't likely to let up again for a few months. If you haven't yet turned on your furnace this season, chances are you'll decide to soon. Have you prepared for it? If you haven't yet performed maintenance on your furnace this year, or if you turn it on and find it needs to be repaired, you'll need to call an HVAC contractor quick. Do you know how to find the right one to fit your home's needs?

Do Your Homework

You probably already know that an HVAC contractor needs to be licensed and insured, but do you understand what that means? If you aren't sure of the local or state laws surrounding HVAC work, a contractor can tell you he or she has the proper license and you'd never know the difference. By learning what the state requires from contractors, you can be sure the one you hire is working legally and won't put you or your home at risk. Pay attention to HVAC advertising, as that is usually one of the better ways to find what companies are doing good work throughout the community.

Ask You Friends and Family

Who do the people you trust use when they need someone to look at their furnace systems? Local family members, your friends, or even neighbors or co-workers probably have a good idea of which contractors are the most professional and affordable. They can answer questions about prices, how well the job was done, and how long it took.

Get an Itemized Estimate

Even if the contractor you're most interested in seems perfect, you still need to ask for an itemized estimate in writing. A lot of times, a project ends up being more complicated than expected or taking longer than the contractor estimates. How does the company handle situations like this? The written estimate should compare the cost of the services to the services provided. Any warranties or extra fees must be included on the estimate. Examples include if the job goes longer or if something goes wrong because of contractor error.

Don't Pay in Advance

A responsible company has enough working capital to pay labor and provide parts and tools in advance. If a company asks you to pay for any part of the work in advance, it may not be operating under the best finances. This could mean the workers aren't as good as they should be or that there are any other number of issues. Remember, a contractor will begin working before asking you for payment.

Know About Your Furnace First

One of the first questions you'll want to ask a  potential HVAC contractor is how much the job will cost. Over the phone, a contractor isn't going to have a ready-made answer. However, the company will be able to give a better estimate if you can provide some information. Before you start contacting companies, By providing the model of the system you have and telling the company representative what issues you are noticing in the system, the company can tell you what may be the problem and give a casual estimate over the phone.

Above all else, go with your gut feeling when choosing an HVAC company to work in your home. Remember, if a price seems too good to be true, it probably is. If a contractor is rude over the phone, the worker will probably be rude when in your home as well. If you aren't satisfied with a company from the first phone call, it isn't the right one for you.