Hiring a heating-system contractor can be a stressful experience. You want a professional you can trust, one who has expertise in his field. Fortunately, there is an easy way to make sure the person you hire is the right one for the job. Make sure he’s NATE certified. 

What is NATE Certification?

NATE certification means that your technician has been tested and certified by the North American Technician Excellence organization. NATE is a not-for-profit organization formed in 1997 that tests HVAC-industry contractors and technicians.

NATE certification has become the industry standard, and there’s a notable difference between contractors and technicians with certification and those who lack it. For instance, NATE certified contractors and technicians aren’t called back to a job as frequently as those who lack certification. NATE-certified professionals have nearly 13 percent fewer callbacks. It’s no wonder that more than 85 percent of those who’ve hired NATE-certified technicians say they prefer to work with these professionals.

NATE Certification Requirements

When you hire a NATE-certified technician, you can rest assured that he is an expert, because he has gone through NATE’s rigorous testing. This process includes:

• Testing in a specific area of HVAC, including — but not limited to — oil and gas furnaces, heat pumps, air conditioning, oil and gas hydronics and refrigeration.
• Recertification every five years. This involves retaking a NATE certification test and/or undergoing 60 hours of continuing industry education.

A NATE-certified contractor who employs technicians must also meet rigorous requirements. At least 50 percent of his workforce must be NATE certified. If at least 80 percent of his workforce is NATE certified, the contractor receives NATE Quality Circle certification.

At New River Heating and Air, we’re proud of our highly qualified NATE-certified workforce. Whatever work you need to have done, you can rest assured that the technician we send to your home will have the depth and breadth of expertise necessary to get your job done right.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about NATE certification and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

New River Heating and Air services the New River Valley area in Virginia. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Certified image via Shutterstock