Contractor FAQ
The questions every new account asks, answered the way the counter would.
Who can buy from Cold Mountain Supply?
We're a wholesale house for the trade — HVAC, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical contractors, plus property managers and builders. Open a contractor account online in about three minutes and pricing unlocks immediately. We're not a retail store, and we don't sell installs — we supply the people who do them.
Do you sell to homeowners?
Our pricing and counter are set up for licensed contractors and trade businesses. If you're a homeowner, the best move is to have your HVAC contractor buy through us — that's who the wholesale pricing is built for.
Do I need an account to see prices?
Yes — that's standard supply-house practice. The catalog, stock status, and same-day pickup info are public; wholesale numbers show after you log in. The application asks for your business info and license number, and cash accounts activate right away.
How does will-call pickup work?
Find your parts in the catalog or call the counter, and we pull and stage the order. If it shows in stock, it's on a shelf in Asheville — not on a truck from a regional warehouse. Pick it up the same day, pay, and go.
What forms of payment do you take?
ACH bank payment, company check, and cash at listed prices; cards run +3%. ACH links once through a secure bank connection and then it's one tap at every pickup — most accounts land there because it's the cheapest rail for everyone.
Do you offer Net-30 terms?
We launched cash-and-carry on purpose — it keeps prices honest and nobody's chasing paper. Terms come to accounts that build history with us; if your volume needs credit from day one, talk to the counter and we'll figure out what makes sense.
Do you deliver?
Will-call pickup is the core service today — it's how same-day stays same-day. Job-site delivery for equipment packages is on the roadmap; ask the counter about your specific job and we'll tell you straight.
Can you get parts you don't stock?
Usually, yes. The catalog is what's physically on the shelf, and behind it sits a supplier network covering most of what the trade asks for. Special orders quote with honest lead times — no 'it'll be here Tuesday' guesses.
Do you sell refrigerant?
Yes — current refrigerants including R-410A and the new R-454B, plus reclaimed R-22 while supply lasts. EPA Section 608 certification is required by law for every refrigerant sale, so bring your card the first time; we keep it on your account after that.
What about warranty parts?
Bring the failed part and the equipment's model and serial numbers, and the counter will run the warranty lookup with you. Manufacturer part warranties generally cover the part, not the labor — the same rules every supply house works under.
What are your hours and where are you?
The counter is in Asheville, NC — exact address, phone, and opening hours are being finalized and will be posted here and on Google. Accounts opened now are ready to buy on day one.
What brands do you carry?
Trane equipment is the anchor, alongside Mitsubishi Electric, Samsung, Bosch, Honeywell, and the everyday material brands — Royal sheet metal, Quietflex, TracPipe, Milwaukee and Malco on the tool wall. The brands page shows live counts of what's stocked.
Can my techs pick up on the company account?
Yes — that's how it's supposed to work. The account belongs to the business; anyone picking up signs as an authorized purchaser for it. If you want a tighter list of who can buy, tell the counter and we'll note the account.
How current is the stock status on the website?
The site rebuilds nightly straight from our live inventory system, so 'in stock' reflects the shelf as of the most recent sync. For a big equipment run, a quick call to confirm before you drive is never a bad idea — we'd rather check a shelf than waste your trip.
What if the site says in stock but the shelf is empty?
Then we made a counting mistake and we'll say so plainly — and get the item sourced as fast as the supplier network allows. Inventory accuracy is a discipline we take seriously because same-day pickup is the whole promise.
Can I return unused stock items?
Stock items in sellable condition generally come back without drama — bring them with the receipt or account record. Special orders and cut goods are different animals; ask before you order if returnability matters for the job.
Are there core charges on compressors or motors?
Where a manufacturer runs a core program, the charge and the credit both pass through to you — the counter will tell you at sale time so the invoice never surprises. Bring cores back promptly; they only turn into money while the program window is open.
Can you quote a whole equipment package for a job?
Yes — that's normal counter work. Bring the load calc or the model numbers and we'll price the system, coil, line set, pad, disconnect, and the boring stuff you'd otherwise forget. Written quotes hold long enough to close your customer.
Can you hold equipment until my install date?
Short holds on paid equipment are usually workable — talk to the counter about the timeline. What we can't do is warehouse a season's worth of speculative equipment for free; paid and scheduled beats reserved and maybe.
Do you handle tax-exempt and resale purchases?
Yes. Give the counter your NC resale/exemption certificate when you open the account and purchases apply it automatically from then on. Out-of-state certificates get sorted case by case.
Can I put my PO numbers on invoices?
Yes — give a PO at order or pickup and it rides the invoice and your account history, which keeps your job costing clean. If your office needs invoices emailed somewhere specific, set that on the account once.
Do you sell by the case or box at better pricing?
On consumables — filters, tape, wire, fittings — case quantities beat each-price. If your trucks burn through something monthly, tell the counter and we'll quote the box.
Do you cut pipe or fabricate duct?
Common black iron nipple sizes are stocked pre-cut, and sheet-metal is stocked in standard configurations. Full custom fabrication isn't a counter service today — if it becomes a common ask, that's the kind of thing we add.
What about R-22 for older systems?
Reclaimed R-22 is available while supply lasts — production ended years ago, so it's priced like the scarce commodity it is. For systems worth keeping alive, we can talk alternatives; for systems on their last leg, the honest math usually points at replacement.
Do you help with warranty registration on new equipment?
The counter will make sure you leave with the model and serial recorded, and registration is typically the installer's move within the manufacturer's window — do it, because registered warranties are meaningfully longer than base coverage on most brands.
What happens when something I need isn't in stock anywhere locally?
We quote the special order with the real lead time and the real freight — no optimistic guessing. If a competitor's shelf genuinely has it today and your job can't wait, we'll tell you that too. Long game beats one ticket.
Why buy from you instead of the big national branches?
Same-day answers from people who know the local work — elevation specs, propane coves, crawlspace realities — plus stock decisions made for this market instead of a regional planogram. And when something goes sideways, you're talking to the counter that sold it, not a ticket queue.
Open an account and ask at the counter — or check the field guides for the technical stuff.
