The Quality Installation (QI) Certificate Adds Value To HVAC Installations

Posted on:

April 23, 2021

A Residential Service & Installation (RSI) accredited contractor can submit projects to ACCA to obtain a Quality Installation (QI) Certificate. The Quality Installation Certificate verifies that an HVAC installation project correctly follows the ACCA QI 5 Standard. It is issued to contractors by ACCA for installing equipment that does not meet ENERGY STAR® efficiency requirements, but is industry recognized. To obtain the Quality Installation (QI) Certificate, an RSI accredited contractor must download the ACCA QI Mobile App and submit a project. Once a project is submitted, the ACCA Technical Services Department will review it for approval. Once it is approved, the QI Certificate is sent to the contractor, who can then issue it to their customer with the completed quality installation project.

The QI Certificate is valuable for both the QA Contractor and the customer. The QI Certificate confirms that the QA Contractor has followed the correct procedures to increase the lifespan of the system with better efficiency. It is important that an HVAC system is installed correctly the first time! If it is accurately selected, sized, and installed with good ductwork, the chances of equipment failures are reduced, which is what the ACCA QI 5 Standard is designed for.

The QI 5 Standard has industry-wide steps that a QA Contractor must follow. The main steps include, but are not limited to:

Airflow through the duct system
Ventilation
Refrigerant charge
Heat Gain/Loss Load Calculations
Combustion venting system (Furnace Air Supply)

Some contractors ignore these steps, which set the equipment up for failure, and an unhappy customer. However, when contractors follow the QI 5 Standard, they significantly reduce the possibility of an inconvenient failure and can guarantee this by providing their customer with a QI Certificate. When a QI Certificate is earned by the contractor, it saves the customer both time and money. The customer can be satisfied knowing that their HVAC system will hold up well, and that they will not have to call the contractor to repair an issue on a recently installed system and possibly face fees.

For a Quality Installation to be successful, all HVAC system installers must agree to follow the QI 5 Standard. When they do, their brand reputation as a quality contractor will grow. Any HVAC company can put together an HVAC system, but a Quality Assured (QA) Accredited contractor will follow the QI 5 Standard and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)’s requirements to install a well-performing, efficient system. The QA Contractor will document that a QI has been completed using a checklist, which ensures the customer that the system has been installed using proper, precise, and accurate installation techniques.

When a QI project is submitted to the ACCA Technical Services Department for review through the QI Mobile App, the contractor will be notified if additional information is needed and if any other information is incorrect. Our Technical Services Department is happy to work with the contractor for clarification of any submitted documentation.

If your business becomes a QA Contractor and earns a QI Certificate for an HVAC installation, it can improve system performance, increase customer satisfaction, decrease untimely system failures, and decrease callbacks about the same installation thus reducing your liability. When customer satisfaction is up and your business builds its reputation for quality installations, your revenue will also go up. Therefore the QI Certificate is worth the effort to obtain and will provide value to your business and the customer!

ACCA can help promote your business success as a contractor that performs a quality installation if you use our QI Mobile App to inform us of a quality installation that you have completed. If you are not already accredited, the process of applying is simple and can be completed within one week depending on when we receive your required information. To apply for New Homes / RSI accreditation, you can go to our website at https://www.acca.org/qa/apply. If you have any questions, you can email us at qaprogram@acca.org or call us at 703-824-8877.