There are several steps that I would recommend you take before deciding on a contractor to install your GeoThermal unit. These steps range from researching incentives to ensuring a manual J calculation is done on your home and everything in between. These are based on my experience of researching and installing a
1) Research
your State’s website for GeoThermal incentives
I live in the State of New York and our energy/environmental
incentives are typically manages by the New York State Energy Research and
Development Authority (NYSERDA). The Website that lists incentives throughout the United States is the DSIRE database.
2)
Call the
GeoThermal unit manufacturers
Call the manufacturers and ask them for the local
representatives. The manufacturers
will refer you to a contractor that is familiar with their product. This training and
familiarity with the product should make the installation successful. Even though I do believe that the manufacturers endorsement should give you a sense of confidence in the contractor, there is always the exception, so still do your homework.
Some GeoThermal unit manufacturers that I am aware of are:
3)
Call the local representatives and set up a walk
through
The local representative may have a contractor that they
refer. Whether it is the
GeoThermal Unit representative or a contractor that they refer, go ahead and
set up a walk through and estimate.
If you are married, make sure you are both there to ask any questions
that come up.
4)
Compare your estimates
There are several items to consider here. Be sure that all the estimates include
the same thing. For example, are
the units similar? Are they dual
zone or single zone? Are
they the same tons? Did your
contractor do a manual J calculation?
5)
Set up a pre-meeting with the winning contractor
After you decide on which contractor you want to hire,
schedule a pre-meeting. This may
be on the phone, in your home or their office. At this meeting you want to make clear the expectations of
the project. Most importantly, the
time frame and the work that will be performed (scope). You may have some special requests as
well, so here’s the time to make those known.
6)
Trust your instincts!
Remember, you are going to have to work with this contractor
for days to weeks. You must feel
like you trust them. So, take some
time to talk to him/her and be sure you feel good about the amount of time they
are spending with you as well as your confidence in them.