Selecting the Correct Contractor
South Florida has some of the most beautiful and well maintained buildings in the country, and keeping them at that point takes a lot of work. It is not only hard work for the property managers, engineers and maintenance personnel, but it also takes a great group of vendors to ensure that things are being taken care of and done properly. A major component in keeping these buildings nice is the HVACR system, and selecting a contractor with the correct license is critical to the success of the building and its personnel.
Ensuring that the contractor has a license seems like it would be an obvious suggestion, but with today’s unsettled market place anything is possible. Everyday there are more and more companies who pop up and may be gone tomorrow; using these “fly by night” contractors only causes headaches. While many states have just one HVACR or mechanical license, Florida has three different variations of the license and it is important to know what each license covers. Here is a description of each of the three variables:
Mechanical Contractor:
Mechanical Contractor is the highest classification of any HVACR license. Mechanical contractors are able to do a wide variety of things in and around a building and its grounds. This license allows for a very broad diversity of work to be done; anything from HVACR (which is its primary concentration), all the way to pool piping. Here is a description of what a Mechanical Contractor’s license encompasses.
“‘Mechanical Contractor’ means a contractor whose services are unlimited in the execution of contracts, requiring the experience, knowledge, and skill to install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design (when not prohibited by law), central air-conditioning, refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems, -including duct work (in connection with a complete system) only to the extent such duct work is performed by the contractor as is necessary to make complete the following: an air-distribution system, boiler and unfired pressure vessel systems, lift station equipment and piping, and all appurtenances, apparatus, or equipment used in connection therewith, and any duct cleaning and equipment sanitizing, which requires at least a partial disassembling of the system; to install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design, when not prohibited by law, piping, insulation of pipes, vessels and ducts, pressure and process piping, pneumatic control piping, gasoline tanks and pump installations and piping for same, standpipes, air piping, vacuum line piping, oxygen lines, nitrous oxide piping, ink and chemical lines, fuel transmission lines, liquefied petroleum gas lines within buildings, and natural gas fuel lines within buildings; to replace, disconnect, or reconnect power wiring on the load side of the dedicated existing electrical disconnect switch; to install, disconnect, and reconnect low voltage heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning control wiring; and to install a condensate drain from an air-conditioning unit to an existing safe waste or other approved disposal (other than a direct connection to a sanitary system). The scope of work for such contractor shall also include any excavation work incidental thereto, but shall not include any work such as potable water lines or connections thereto, sanitary sewer lines, swimming pool piping and filters, or electrical power wiring.”
American Contractors Exam Services. Florida Mechanical Contractor License
Class A Contractor:
Class A HVAC contractors are able to do the majority of the work that a Mechanical Contractor does, but there are some limitations with this license. The following is a description of what a Class A Contractor is able to do and also what they cannot do.
“The Class A Air Conditioning Contractor is one whose services are unlimited in the following: installation, maintenance, repair, fabrication, alteration, extension, or design of central air conditioning, refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems.
Class A contractors may also execute contracts requiring experience in the installation, maintenance, repair, fabrication, alteration, extension, or design of duct work (in connection with a complete system but only to the extent that such duct work is performed by the contractor as is necessary to complete an air distribution system), boiler and unfired pressure vessel system, and all appurtenances, apparatus, or equipment used in connection with them.
This license does not allow any work such as liquefied petroleum or natural gas fuel lines within buildings, potable water lines or connections, sanitary sewer lines, swimming pool piping and filters, or electrical power wiring.”
American Contractors Exam Services. Florida HVACR License Class A
Class B Contractor:
Class B License covers the least scope of work out of the three licenses possible. Class B Contractors are limited in the tonnage and BTU of equipment that they are able to work on. They are also not able to do many things that a Mechanical Contractor or Class A license holder can do. The following is a brief description of what a Class B Contractor is licensed to do.
“The Class B Contractor is one whose services are limited to 25 tons of cooling and 500,000 BTU of heating in any 1 system, in the execution of contracts requiring the experience, knowledge, and skill to install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design central air conditioning, refrigeration, heating and ventilation systems, including ductwork in connection with a complete system.
This license does not allow any work such as liquefied petroleum or natural gas fuel lines within buildings, potable water lines or connections, sanitary sewer lines, swimming pool piping and filters, or electrical power wiring.”
American Contractors Exam Services. Florida HVAC Class B License
Another issue that comes to mind when choosing a contractor is Insurance. Insurance is a major function of doing business for a contractor and property owner or manager. It is something that should always be taken seriously and many of the “fly by night” companies will not have the coverage to cover large mechanical systems.
Making certain that the contractor is properly qualified for the job is a major issue and should be taken seriously. There are different licenses for different reasons and every contractor cannot handle every job which is confronted. Insurance coverage also needs to be covered and should be checked before the contractor is able to do any work. Hopefully the information covered helps any future decision making and clears possible questions.
