Questions to ask before you hire an HVAC contractor in Atlanta

Questions to ask

1. Do you hold a Georgia Conditioned Air Contractor (CAC) license, and can I see the license number and class?

Why it matters: In Georgia, conditioned air (HVAC) contracting offered to the public is licensed through the Georgia State Board of Conditioned Air Contractors — a division of the State Construction Industry Licensing Board — administered by the Georgia Secretary of State’s Professional Licensing Boards Division. Licenses are commonly Class I (restricted) or Class II (unrestricted); Class I is limited to smaller systems (by BTU capacity), while Class II covers unrestricted conditioned-air work. Ask for the exact contractor license number and class, look it up on the Georgia Secretary of State professional licensing search to confirm it is active and covers your job size, and ask who the licensed contractor responsible for your job actually is. If the job includes gas piping to a furnace, ask who is licensed to do that part; gas work can fall under separate plumbing or gas-fitting licensing rather than the CAC license alone. Ask for a current liability insurance certificate too.

2. Which technicians on my job hold EPA Section 608 certification, and are they trained on the newer A2L refrigerants?

Why it matters: Anyone who opens a refrigerant circuit needs EPA Section 608 certification. Many newer systems sold since the federal refrigerant transition use A2L refrigerants (such as R-454B or R-32), which have their own handling and installation requirements. Ask who on the crew is certified, whether they have installed the refrigerant your proposed system uses, and how they recover refrigerant from the unit they remove. If your current system still runs on R-22, ask plainly whether repair still makes sense or whether replacement is the honest answer.

3. Will you run a Manual J load calculation for humid Atlanta summers and occasional freezes, instead of matching the old unit’s tonnage?

Why it matters: A Manual J (or equivalent) load calculation should account for local design temperatures, insulation, windows, shading, air leakage, duct location, and — especially in Atlanta — latent (moisture) load as well as sensible cooling. Ask to see the results in writing. Oversizing is common: a unit that is too big short-cycles, wears out sooner, and removes less moisture on muggy days, leaving rooms cool but clammy. Undersizing shows up on the hottest, most humid afternoons and on rare freeze nights. Ask how the proposed equipment will dehumidify in midsummer, keep up during a heat wave, and heat during a hard freeze, and whether a variable-speed or two-stage system makes sense for your house.

4. Would a heat pump, a dual-fuel system, or AC with a gas furnace fit my house, and how will it heat during a freeze?

Why it matters: Many Atlanta homes pair central air with a gas furnace, but heat pumps and dual-fuel systems (a heat pump with a gas furnace as backup) are common alternatives — and federal and utility incentives sometimes favor heat pumps. The freeze is the part to press on. Ask how the proposed heat pump performs at low outdoor temperatures, how much backup electric heat strip capacity it has and what that does to your electric bill and panel load, and whether a cold-climate model or dual-fuel setup is worth it for your home. If you keep gas, ask how the furnace will be set up and what happens to the gas line if you switch away from it. A good contractor should explain operating costs under Georgia Power (or your local metro utility) rates and any gas rates that apply, and be wary of anyone who pushes one answer without looking at your home.

5. What will you check on the attic air handler or furnace, ducts, venting, and condensate drain, including the secondary pan and shutoff switch?

Why it matters: In many Atlanta metro homes, the air handler or furnace and most ductwork sit in an attic that gets extremely hot in summer and can still get cold on freeze nights. Ask whether they will inspect and pressure-test the ducts and what sealing, insulation, or repair they recommend, since leaky attic ducts waste cooling, pull in humid attic air, and can worsen mold risk. For a gas furnace, ask how they will check the flue and combustion venting, test for gas leaks and carbon monoxide, and confirm you have working CO alarms. For condensate, ask how the primary drain is routed and cleared, whether there is a secondary drain pan with a float or overflow shutoff switch, and how they will keep the drain from clogging; an overflowing pan above a ceiling is a common and preventable water-damage call in humid climates. In older homes, ask how they handle duct wrap or materials that could contain asbestos; suspect material should be tested before anyone disturbs it.

6. Who pulls the permit with the City of Atlanta or my local building department, and is the final inspection included?

Why it matters: Replacing an air conditioner, heat pump, or furnace often requires a mechanical permit, and new electrical or gas work may need its own permits. Inside city limits, permits go through the City of Atlanta; elsewhere in the metro you may deal with Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, or Gwinnett county rules, or with city building departments in places like Marietta, Decatur, Alpharetta, or Sandy Springs. Ask who pulls the permit, who schedules the inspection, and whether those fees are in the quote. Confirm your exact Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) — City of Atlanta rules differ from suburban cities and county areas. If you live in an HOA, ask whether unit placement or screening needs approval. A discount for skipping the permit shifts the risk to you at resale and in any insurance claim.

7. How will you handle storms, pollen season, humidity, and occasional freezes for the outdoor unit and the home?

Why it matters: Atlanta’s spring and fall pollen seasons load filters and outdoor coils; summer storms bring wind, lightning, and power hits; humidity drives condensate and mold risk; and occasional freezes can damage outdoor units or leave homes without heat if equipment and freeze protection are not set up right. Ask how the outdoor unit will be anchored and protected, whether surge protection makes sense, how they clear or protect coils during heavy pollen, and what freeze protection or defrost strategy applies to a heat pump. If storm damage leads to an insurance claim, document it, call your insurer first, and be cautious with crews that knock on doors after a storm; verify the Georgia CAC license either way.

8. How will you handle filtration and indoor air quality, and where will the filter go?

Why it matters: Atlanta has heavy spring and fall pollen seasons, humid summers that favor mold growth if ducts leak or condensate is ignored, and occasional wildfire or ozone-alert air quality days. Ask what filter rating (such as MERV) the system can handle without choking airflow, whether a media filter cabinet makes sense, and where the filter will be located; a filter you have to climb into a hot attic to change is one that rarely gets changed. Ask what they recommend for humidity control on muggy days too. A good contractor should measure static pressure and airflow before selling add-ons like UV lights or air purifiers, and explain what each costs to run and maintain.

9. Which utility or efficiency programs might apply, and will you handle the paperwork?

Why it matters: Much of the Atlanta metro is served by Georgia Power for electricity; other pockets use municipal or cooperative utilities, and natural gas may come from Atlanta Gas Light or another provider depending on your address. Efficiency incentives may come through Georgia Power, your local utility, or not at all, and those programs change. Federal tax credits for home energy equipment have also changed recently, so do not rely on a contractor’s summary. Ask which programs the contractor participates in, whether eligibility depends on specific equipment ratings (such as SEER2, HSPF2, or furnace AFUE), and who submits the application. Get any promised rebate amount in writing as an estimate, not a guarantee, and verify current rules directly with the program.

10. What does the written estimate include: model numbers, duct and drain work, gas and electrical work, disposal, and a labor warranty?

Why it matters: A good quote lists the exact indoor and outdoor model numbers, efficiency ratings, thermostat, line set, pad, condensate drain and secondary pan work, any duct repair or sealing, any gas line or venting changes, any electrical upgrades (breaker, disconnect, or panel work for heat strips or a heat pump), permit fees, and disposal of the old equipment. Ask how they handle surprises like a corroded line set, a rusted drain pan, an undersized flue, or tight attic access, and require a stop-and-call change-order process before extra work. Get the manufacturer warranty and the contractor’s labor warranty in writing separately, and confirm who registers the equipment so the manufacturer warranty applies.

11. How do you handle no-cooling calls in heat waves and no-heat calls in freezes, and can you give me recent Atlanta-area references?

Why it matters: Losing air conditioning during an Atlanta heat wave — when humidity makes indoor conditions feel worse than the thermostat suggests — or heat during a hard freeze can quickly become a health and safety issue, especially for older adults, young children, and pets, and every HVAC company in the metro gets busy at once. Ask what their response time looks like for existing customers during those surges, what after-hours or weekend rates apply, and whether a maintenance plan actually moves you up the list. Ask what pre-season checks they do before summer and before winter. Then ask for two or three recent local references for similar jobs and housing types across the metro (including Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, and Gwinnett and nearby cities such as Marietta, Decatur, Alpharetta, or Sandy Springs). References tell you about punctuality, cleanup, and whether the system was set up right the first time, which star ratings alone often miss.

Red flags

• Quotes a replacement size over the phone or by matching the old unit, with no load calculation for heating, cooling, and humidity.
• Cannot give you a Georgia Conditioned Air Contractor license number you can verify, or the license class does not cover your job.
• Offers a lower price to skip the permit or the inspection.
• Vague about which refrigerant the new system uses or who on the crew is EPA 608 certified.
• Pitches a heat pump without explaining backup heat, freeze performance, or what the heat strips need from your electrical panel.
• Ignores furnace venting, carbon monoxide checks, or the condensate drain, secondary pan, and overflow switch on an attic unit.
• Storm-chaser pressure after severe weather: door-to-door crews, “sign tonight” deals, or offers to handle your insurance claim for you.
• No model numbers, no duct, drain, gas, or electrical scope, and no written labor warranty on the estimate.
• Promises a specific rebate or tax credit as guaranteed, or asks you to sign over a rebate you have not verified.

Next-step checklist

• Verify each contractor’s Conditioned Air Contractor license status and class on the Georgia Secretary of State professional licensing search.
• Get at least two written quotes for the same scope, with model numbers, efficiency ratings, and duct, drain, gas, and electrical work listed.
• Ask each contractor to share their load calculation and explain how the system will handle humid summer peaks and a hard freeze.
• Confirm your jurisdiction (City of Atlanta, another metro city, or county AHJ such as Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, or Gwinnett) and who pulls the permit and schedules the inspection; check HOA rules if they apply.
• Make sure you have working carbon monoxide alarms if you have any gas appliances, and ask for a combustion and venting check on a gas furnace.
• Ask about the condenser pad, anchoring, surge protection, filter location, and humidity control.
• Check current incentives directly with Georgia Power (or your local metro utility), your gas provider if applicable, or the program administrator before you sign.
• Agree in writing on unit placement, filter location, warranty terms, payment schedule, and a stop-and-call change-order process.
• Keep the permit record, warranty registrations, and final invoice for resale and future service.