Certification Makes A Difference (NAPSA)—Manypeople have only the vaguest notion of what certification means. When askedif having a certified technician work on their home comfort system is important, their first reaction is often that certification really isn’t that important. \ | But the truth is, certification makes a difference in the quality of service and really means peace of mind and assurance. When consumers realize that, their reaction and answer change. Consider the benefits of certification. To know how important the benefits of certification are to a homeowner, ask yourself if it’s important that the technician working on your heater or air conditioner: Knowsheating andcooling Has proof of his knowledge Is proficient Actually repairs the problem * Doesthe job efficiently Doesit right thefirst time. Getting a certified technician means you know you're getting the best for your money. No one has a money bin—andthebossis only going to let you have so many days off, so any waste of time or money because you’re using a non-certified technician could actually cost a homeowner twice. NATE-certified technicians know heating andcooling. Certification does not necessarily mean that the certified technician is better than one whoisn’t certified— but anyone can say they’re good. IT’S YOUR MONEY. Don’t take people’s word for how muchthey know. Ask them forproof. The consumer knowsthat a certified technician is knowledgeable because an impartial third party has had him checked out. The moral: It’s your money— don’t take people’s word for how much they know—ask them for proof. And NATEcertification is proof of knowledge of HVACR. These tips are brought to you by North American Technician Excellence, or NATE, the nation’s largest nonprofit certification organization for heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration technicians. The U.S. Department of Energy endorses NATEfor raising quality standards and energy efficiency. For a contractor with NATE-certified technicians, go to the Consumer Contractor Connection at www.natex.org. Remember, when purchasing a new unit, please select an Energy Star-qualified model.
