You have probably seen the logo on our website and were wondering ‘What is that NATE?’.
NATE stands for North American Technician Excellence and looking carefully at the NATE logo we find “Certifying the Finest in HVACR”, where HVACR stands for Heating. Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration. NATE is the independent organization that certifies HVAC installation or service technicians with knowledge-based tests. Organizations that are part of the NATE coalition include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers.
To become NATE certified, technicians must pass both core and specialty parts of either an installation or a service test. Specialties include heat pumps, air conditioning, air distribution, oil heat and gas heat. The NATE test is not easy, and not all technicians pass it the first time. NATE certification verifies that the technician who passes is the best in the trade when it comes to knowledge and experience of heating or cooling system.
In addition to exams and certifications NATE is a great resource for training, documentation and news about HVACR.
A recent survey says that 87% of air conditioning and heating consumers prefer certified technicians. At Carolina Heating we believe that only well educated and experienced people can do the work and achieve the quality we and our customers expect. We therefore strive to have as many technicians certified as possible. And as of this blog post we have 9 of 12 technician NATE certified, not including Scott, our president. And Carolina Heating actively supports NATE by becoming a NATE Quality Circle Contractor.
So, whether you contact us or our colleagues for HVAC work, watch for the NATE logo and make sure to ask for a NATE certified technician.