Installing a window properly is more than just fitting it into the gaping hole in your wall and screwing it in. There are many installers out there, but someone who is a certified fenestration installation technician will serve you better than an independent contractor who doesn’t have much experience will.
Are They Certified?
Ask your installer if they have their F.I.T. certificate. If they won’t give you an answer, they may be avoiding the question. If you can’t get an answer, call the company. If you still can’t get an answer or the answer is ‘no,’ then it’s time to move on.
Why it Matters
An installer that has their certification is going to do a better job of installing windows – hands down. They will know more about the industry, technologies, practices and energy efficiency than someone who has simply been doing it for five years.
Rigorously Tested
The F.I.T certification program is an intense program that covers everything an installer needs to know about installing windows. These programs have multiple tests for each level of certification before a person can be considered certified. To ensure they have the proper skills to perform any installation they encounter, they are required to pass testing after each year.
What Do They Know?
By the time a fenestration installation technician has completed their testing, they should be knowledgeable in the various aspects of installation. This includes:
- Installing windows, doors and skylights
- Energy efficiency
- Health and safety
- Circumventing defective practices
- Consumer protection
- Understanding installation instructions
- Understand the latest technologies and construction practices
Experienced
The F.I.T. isn’t a certification where one can simply take a test and walk away with a paper. When an installer has the certificate, you can be sure they have at least 500 hours of on-the-job experience. This, along with a practical training program, is one of the prerequisites for taking the fenestration installation technician test. Other prerequisites for the certification include understanding basic math and geometry.
You Can Be Confident
Ensuring that a window and door company uses certified fenestration installation technicians means they have their own set of standards. These standards will determine how satisfied you will be with the installation when it has been completed – or not completed. Any window and door company worth their salt should use only certified installers, and if they don’t, you will likely get a substandard product and service.
All Clera Windows + Doors technicians are certified in fenestration installation. You can be absolutely confident that the product you get will be installed right the first time. We take full responsibility for our products and that transfers into a better product and a better service for you, the customer.
