Editorial Policy
How we source, write, fact-check, and correct every piece of content on this site. Last updated April 21, 2026.
Our mission
We help consumers compare hvac contractors based on real, verifiable signals — not on who pays most. This page documents the standards we hold every piece of content on the site to.
Content sourcing
Business data is sourced from Google Business Profiles. Cost data is sourced from a combination of industry association reports, state licensing boards, and aggregated quote data from our own request forms. Editorial articles cite primary sources inline; we do not paraphrase from competitor directories.
Author standards
Every published article carries a byline with an author profile page. Authors are expected to have either direct industry experience, credentialed expertise, or documented editorial experience in the topic area. Author pages disclose any potential conflicts of interest.
Fact-checking
Claims of fact are sourced from primary, dated sources where available. Statistics older than 18 months are refreshed before reuse. Pricing data includes the month and year of the most recent refresh. If a claim cannot be sourced, it is removed.
Corrections & takedowns
Corrections are processed within 48 hours. Takedown requests from business owners are evaluated on a case-by-case basis — factual errors are corrected; negative reviews are not removed simply because a business dislikes them. Our takedown decisions are documented in an internal log.
Advertising & disclosure
Sponsored placements are always clearly labeled. No sponsor has editorial influence over ranking lists, cost data, or educational content. Affiliate or referral relationships, when they exist, are disclosed on the page where they apply.
AI usage
Editorial drafting may be assisted by AI tools, but every published article is reviewed by a named human editor. AI is never used to generate synthetic reviews, inflate business counts, or fabricate cited statistics. Pages that rely primarily on AI output are clearly labeled.
Data retention
Quote-request submissions are retained as described in our privacy policy. Review submissions tied to a named reviewer are retained indefinitely subject to reviewer deletion requests. Our full data handling practices are at https://hvacprolist.com/privacy.