The six checks, in order
- DCWP Home Improvement Contractor licence. Verified at the NYC Legally Operating Businesses dataset. Status must read Active. Expiration must be at least a few months in the future. Any other DCWP licence type (e.g. Electronic & Home Appliance Service Dealer) is called out on the card — that licence is legitimate for appliance service but not for full HIC-scope installs.
- EPA Section 608 certification. Any technician handling refrigerant must be Section 608-certified per federal law. Where a company publicly asserts this credential, we credit it and cite the source; where it does not, we do not assume it.
- Cross-source rating ledger. Google, Yelp, and BBB — no rating source in isolation. Every rating carries a direct link to the source page. We record the number of reviews alongside the rating.
- Verifiable NAP. The company's website carries a legal business name, complete street address, and direct phone number that matches the DCWP record.
- Published emergency dispatch. Where a company offers 24/7 service, that policy is stated on its own site, not inferred.
- Certificate of Insurance on request. A working NYC contractor must be able to produce a Certificate of Insurance naming your building as additional insured within 24–72 hours.
What we do not do
- We do not accept payment for placement in a ranking. Placements are not for sale.
- We do not use aggregated rating badges without a source URL. If we cannot link to it, we do not use it.
- We do not use star-rating aggregators ("4.8 across the web") as a signal — they obscure the underlying source distribution.
- We do not accept "years in business" claims that conflict with the corporate registration date without publishing both.
When we take a contractor off a ranking
- DCWP licence lapses: contractor moves to the verified-out log within seven days.
- Documented pattern of complaints (BBB unresolved, DCWP consumer complaint): contractor moves to verified-out immediately and remains there until the pattern is resolved with documentation.
- Ownership change or entity reorganization: contractor is re-evaluated under the new entity.
Editorial oversight
Rankings are edited by John Carter (Editor-in-Chief), reviewed for licensing accuracy by Sarah Johnson (Regulatory), and for technical accuracy by David Kim (Technical). Local coverage is signed off by Maria Rodriguez. Author biographies and credentials live on the authors page.
Data sources
- NYC Consumer & Worker Protection — Legally Operating Businesses dataset
- US EPA — Section 608 Technician Certification
- BBB — Better Business Bureau NYC