Given that commercial –– and certainly pizzeria –– HVAC units face unique demands compared to residential HVAC systems, it’s important operators find a service provider with the relevant experience and knowledge to address a restaurant’s specific HVAC needs. These four questions can help a pizzeria land a capable provider:

• Do you have experience with restaurant HVAC? Ask fellow local restaurateurs for suggestions and ask the provider for restaurant referrals as well.

• Do you have other restaurant-specific repair and maintenance expertise? In some cases, a service provider’s technicians might also be capable of handling refrigeration and equipment repairs and maintenance in addition to the HVAC system. The diverse experience could provide a more streamlined, all-in-one solution for the pizzeria as well as “big picture” understanding of how different systems impact one another.

• Are your technicians certified? In some states, technicians are licensed. In others, they are not, though broader industry credentials from the Mechanical Service Contractors of America (MSCA) or North American Technician Excellence (NATE) provide a shot of credibility.

• What kind of guarantees do you offer? Savvy and customer-centric service companies know reliability is paramount and stand behind their installations, repairs and maintenance work, often for at least one year.