It can feel daunting when you invite strangers into your home for the first time.
After all, you can never be sure how they will treat your property, or whether they will leave any mess behind them.
Unfortunately, if you need a new boiler installed or your central heating serviced, it can’t really be avoided.
In my years of experience as a heating engineer, I find what helps people most is knowing exactly what they can expect, so they can set their minds at ease – which is why I’ve decided to write this blog post.
Below are 7 things you should expect from a heating engineer.
1. Extensive knowledge
Not only should your engineer have knowledge of all types of boilers and domestic gas central heating systems, they should also be able to demonstrate that knowledge and give it freely.
If they are not willing to do tell you what they are doing, you should immediately be suspicious, as it gives the impression they have something to hide.
2. Advice on what’s best for your home
Another important trait for any heating engineer is to have your home’s best interests at heart – not their profit margins. This means they should only carry out the work that is necessary, instead of trying to add on extra charges for things you don’t need.
They should be able to advise you on all your options and why, so that you can make the best choice for your home based on an informed decision – rather than just telling you what needs done.
3. Punctuality
The very least you should expect from an engineer is for them to show up on time. They should understand that your time is valuable and you certainly won’t want to take time off work just for a no-show.
Sometimes unexpected delays cannot be helped due to circumstances beyond their control, but if there is a problem with traffic etc. they should call you ahead of time to let you know they will be late.
4. Respect for your property
A heating engineer should always show the utmost respect for your property. Of course, a boiler installation can get messy, but they should always be as tidy as possible by laying down dust sheets and tidying up after themselves whenever possible.
This means they should have their own vacuum cleaner to use, dust down and clean any surfaces that have dust or stour, and clean up any debris that wasn’t caught by the dust sheets, so you are left with a clean, tidy home.
5. Efficient paperwork and records
Your heating engineer has a legal responsibility to keep hold of all records, receipts, certificates and service reminders, just in case they are needed.
They should be kept neatly and efficiently, preferably in a filing cabinet or even stored digitally on the cloud rather than covering his desk and stuffed into drawers.
6. Detailed, fixed price quotes
It is absolutely vital that you request a fixed price, detailed quote before agreeing to any work carried out by a heating engineer. This can only be achieved by conducting a home visit, and means no nasty surprises or extra charges.
Ideally, the pricing should be at a fixed cost, rather than by the hour, so extra time cannot be added onto your invoice at the end of the day.
7. Good communication
Finally, you should be able to easily get in touch with your chosen heating engineer. You should at the very least be provided with a landline that is always answered or mobile number and email address, without having to wait too long for a response.
They should let you know when you can expect to hear back from them, so that you are always in the loop and never wondering exactly what is going on with your boiler installation.
TIP: To find out what else you can expect from Superwarm, read our 10 commandments.
Conclusion
It can be difficult not knowing what to expect from a heating engineer, and in the past many of my customers have been worried about this. The 7 main things you should expect from a heating engineer are:
- Extensive knowledge
- Advice on what’s best for your home
- Punctuality
- Respect for your property
- Efficient paperwork and records
- Detailed, fixed price quotes
- Good communication
What are you most concerned about when hiring a heating engineer?
