Boiler repair or replacement in a commercial or industrial setting requires extensive knowledge and experience. The wrong vendor can cause damage to your boiler and any equipment it feeds.
When choosing a company to service your building’s boiler, be sure to consider these questions.
1. How long have they been in business?
The longer a boiler service company has been in business, the more likely it is that they have experience in finding and repairing problems similar to the ones your company is experiencing.
Another advantage to choosing a boiler company that’s been around for a long time is financial stability – established businesses are less likely to fail in the middle of your service call and repair.
2. Do they have experience in your industry?
If you run a candy factory, don’t expect a boiler company that primarily works in office buildings to have experience in your boiler applications. Whenever possible, always choose a company that has direct experience working with other clients in your industry.
3. Do they warranty their parts and service?
Select a boiler service company that gives you a warranty on work performed. If a fix doesn’t correct your problem, a parts and labor warranty protects you from being charged twice for the same repair.
4. Is a pre-start inspection included?
Say a fan on your boiler needs replacement and your boiler service vendor fixes it. Before they leave, make sure they restart the equipment and perform a pre-start inspection. Doing so gives the vendor an opportunity to check for any other repairs or maintenance your boiler requires – if the inspection does reveal any potential issues, the vendor will be able to address them right away. Catching potential problems as they arise will help your business run more efficiently by lowering equipment downtime.
5. Can they provide proof of licensure, insurance, and certification?
Is the boiler company you’re considering working with licensed, insured, and certified? Even if a company doesn’t need a specific license to operate in your state, the city they are based in likely licenses them.
Licensure is important as the threat of loss of license goes a long way to enforcing your agreement with the vendor. Insurance is always needed to protect your company from added risk for damage to property or injury to your own employees or visitors.
When a service or its technician are certified in boiler repair and installation, you know you are hiring a company with up-to-date skills and equipment.
6. What are their safety procedures and processes?
On-the-job safety is also an ongoing concern. Does your candidate company have a safety plan? How often do they train staff on it? How many days of work without a workplace injury? Will they follow your facility’s boiler safety plan?
7. Are they a manufacturer’s representative?
Is the company you choose also the manufacturer’s representative for your brand of boiler? If so, their technicians are kept up-to-date on the brand’s product line.
8. What is the cost of an annual service contract? What does it include?
Don’t confuse price with cost. A cheaper vendor may save you money in the short-term, but cost more long-term due to sub-par service.
Choose a company with a reputation free of complaints about shoddy service, time to complete a job, and more.
9. Can they provide references?
Ask for and check references. They should be from companies in your industry with similar boiler needs to yours.
Check the candidate company’s performance, professionalism, and customer service. Less than stellar reviews in any of these categories strongly suggest you should continue your search.
Asking these questions will help you ensure you find the right boiler service company for your building or facility and save you plenty of headaches in the long run.
Looking for a reliable boiler company you can build a long-term partnership with? Contact us today — and if you’re less than impressed with our answers to any of the questions above, don’t hire us.
