In today’s HVAC market, a strong brand isn’t built by advertising alone — it’s built on trust, credibility, and consistent proof that you do what you say you’ll do. For DiFilippo’s Service Company, that foundation has come from more than just our work ethic.

It comes from the third-party validation we’ve earned through our involvement with professional trade organizations like Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) and National Comfort Institute (NCI).

These affiliations have become part of our brand identity. They communicate who we are before we ever set foot in a customer’s home. They show that we care about professionalism, continuous learning, and doing the job right. And in a marketplace filled with mixed messages and variable quality, that credibility makes all the difference.

A Legacy Built on Quality and Reinforced by Reputation

DiFilippo’s Service Company has deep roots in our community. My husband Vince purchased the company in 1989, continuing a family tradition that began in 1971.

I joined the business a few years later, and from the start, we shared a simple goal: provide the highest quality service possible and always do right by our customers.

We built our brand around four core values: honesty, integrity, professionalism, and quality workmanship. Those principles have shaped every decision we’ve made, from how we answer the phone to how we test and install systems.

However, as the HVAC industry evolved and competition intensified, particularly with private equity–owned companies entering our market, we recognized that values alone were insufficient. We needed to prove our professionalism through recognized standards.

That’s where our trade associations came in. Joining ACCA and NCI gave us access to education, peer collaboration, and High-Performance HVAC™ certification programs that allowed us to demonstrate our expertise. Those credentials became part of our story and part of our brand promise to customers.

How Associations Became Part of Our Brand Strategy

We joined our local ACCA chapter in 1996, at a time when deregulation in Pennsylvania was creating major industry shifts. Smaller independent contractors were banding together to share knowledge and navigate uncertainty.

For us, at first, it was about survival. But it quickly became clear that being part of ACCA was also a powerful way to distinguish our company.

Through ACCA, we connected with other high-performing contractors who inspired us to raise our own bar. The late Skip Snyder, one of my earliest mentors, encouraged me to get involved nationally. That advice not only expanded my perspective — it connected me to a network of industry leaders who shaped how I think about business, leadership, and branding.

Around the same time, Vince discovered NCI and was immediately drawn to its focus on system performance testing and verification. Their training emphasized measurable results — something we could proudly show our customers. NCI’s High-Performance HVAC certifications became a visible way to back up our brand’s promise of quality.

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