I'll admit it: I don't know how a furnace works. I don't know how an air conditioner works. I don't know any of that stuff! But I do know NATE: North American Technician Excellence. NATE is the industry group that tests and certifies people in the service and installation of furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, refrigeration equipment - all that good stuff! So I know that when I need a technician, I should insist on someone who has NATE certification. I don't want to risk hiring somebody who doesn't know the equipment inside and out. Hey, I know NATE certification saves you money. When your equipment is installed and maintained properly, your operating costs come down and your maintenance costs are under control. A NATE-certified technician protects you from substandard service, so you're less likely to have a breakdown on a cold winter night or a hot summer day. Your equipment lasts longer. You get more value for your investment. I'll admit it. I don't know furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps. But I know to ask for a NATE-certified technician, so I know I've got that good stuff covered!

Sure, I can fix a leaky faucet. But I don't know how a furnace works. Air conditioner? Heat pump? I don't know any of that stuff! But I do know NATE: North American Technician Excellence. NATE is an industry group that tests and certifies people in their knowledge of furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, refrigeration equipment - all that good stuff! So what if I don't know BTU's? I know a NATE-certified technician can save me money. How? By make sure my equipment is efficient, because if it's not, I'm wasting energy and money. That's real important, with today's fluctuating energy costs. And I don't know a pump from a valve. OK? But if my furnace or air conditioner breaks down, I know I want a technician who know my system inside and out. If they're NATE-certified, they've passed tests. Complicated, difficult tests! When it's a NATE tech, my equipment is protected, my investment is safe, I'm happy. So I'll admit it. I don't know heating and cooling equipment. But I do know to ask for a NATE-certified technician, so I know I've got that good stuff covered.

Some things you're born knowing. How to hit a curveball...how to accelerate through a tight curve...where the fish are biting. But some things have to be learned. When you have trouble with your furnace or air conditioner, you may not know who to call, but you know you want a technician who has learned it inside and out. Insist on a technician tested and certified NATE: North American Technician Excellence. NATE is an independent association of industry leaders, protecting consumers from substandard service. You don't want to risk hiring someone who doesn't know what he's doing. NATE-certified technicians have passed tough tests in today's advanced heating and cooling systems. They know how to install and maintain your equipment so it'll work efficiently and reliably for years of trouble-free service. That's the way you protect your heating and cooling investment. Ask for and insist on the NATE certification. And you'll know - almost like you were born knowing...that your NATE-certified technician knows.

Some things you're born knowing. How to hit a curveball...how to accelerate through a tight curve...where the fish are biting. But some things have to be learned. When you have trouble with your furnace or air conditioner, you may not know who to call, but you know you want a technician who has learned it inside and out. Insist on a technician tested and certified NATE: North American Technician Excellence. NATE is an independent association of industry leaders, protecting consumers from substandard service. Energy prices are fluctuating by who knows how much, but one thing is sure: If your home's heating and cooling equipment isn't efficient, you're wasting energy and losing money. NATE-certified technicians have proven they know how to get peak efficiency from your furnace, air conditioner or heat pump. Even with today's prices, that'll save you money. Ask for and insist on the NATE certification. And you'll know - almost like you were born knowing...that your NATE-certified technician knows.

This just in: NATE certification spares area homeowner the wallet-draining agony of a heating and air conditioning scam. To set the scene: An area homeowner experiences trouble with her furnace. In hast and without considering the possibilities, she calls a local service company, which sends man over. But by the time the technician arrives, she has regained her senses, and she questions him closely. "Are you certified by NATE?" she asks. "N-NATE?" he replies uncertainly. North American Technician Excellence, she explains. The test technicians to certify their knowledge of heating and cooling equipment. That's important for consumers, she notes. In these times of fluctuating fuel prices, inefficiency means wasted energy and lost money. A NATE-certified technician will know how to get peak efficiency from my equipment. So, may I see your NATE certificate? Must have left it in the truck, says the serviceman. Make an educated decision. Get a NATE-certified technician.