If your AC system is relatively new, and still has a long life of reliable service ahead, you will need to find the best HVAC repairs to keep it in tip top condition.
Air conditioning systems, whether commercial or domestic, play an important role in keeping the structure they are installed in safe and comfortable for occupants. This combined with the fact that these systems are among the most expensive in just about any domestic setting makes keeping them in proper working condition, through proper maintenance and repair, essential.
Unexpected system failures due to lack of proper maintenance can lead to costly repairs, while living the space they operate in uninhabitable.
Keeping your AC system in the best possible condition not only creates a safe indoor living environment, but also ensures that you get the most out of your investment in the long run.
Since HVAC systems are designed with various moving parts, and require consumables to facilitate their heating and cooling functions, they require regular maintenance and repair. HVAC servicing is not something you can put off until a problem arises especially since regular maintenance is required as per the conditions included in the manufacturer warranty agreement.
Regardless of where you live, there is no shortage of HVAC repair service providers on the market today. However, this wide selection of service providers also makes choosing the best professional quite a challenge for any home or business owner. Use the information below to make an informed decision when it comes to hiring a HVAC maintenance company.
If you are still not clear on why you need to hire a professional HVAC repair company, the following points will help you appreciate the need for expert repair services.
HVAC system repair jobs should be left to well trained and qualified experts. If you think you have what it takes to fix your HVAC system, then think again. Shoddy DIY repairs can cause serious damage, or leave serious issues unchecked for extended periods.
A damaged HVAC system can lead to the accumulation of poisonous gases within your working or living space. For instance, a faulty motor in the compressor poses the risk of an electric fire, while a damaged furnace has the ability to emit poisonous gases right into your living space.
Qualified HVAC maintenance personnel have the training, equipment and gear needed to detect any poisonous gases coming from the system; handle the dangerous refrigerant gases used; and properly repair delicate components.
Calling in a qualified professional to handle any HVAC maintenance work, no matter how routine it may seem is essential.
Save Time And Money Repairing HVAC's
If you attempt to conduct repairs on your HVAC system, and end up damaging any part of the system, you will be forced to pay for costly repairs afterwards. This leads to a situation where you end up wasting your time on useless DIY repairs, only to spend money hiring someone to repair damage that could have been avoided altogether.
Warranty
In order to maintain the validity of the manufacturer’s warranty on your HVAC system, routine maintenance and repairs must be conducted by a qualified and authorized professional. This means that conducting DIY repairs and maintenance comes at the expense of the cover provided by the manufacturer’s warranty.
Although you might consider yourself to be quite capable at conducting routine maintenance and repairs on your HVAC system, it is essential that you refrain from doing so, and consider calling in a qualified professional.
Now that you have a clear idea of why you need to hire a professional for the job at hand, let’s look at some of the tips you can use to find the best AC repair service.
How To Choose The Right AC Repair Service
Referrals
The first thing you need to do when it comes to hiring the right repair service for your AC system is to come up with a list of possible hires. Start by asking your close friends and family members who have had recent HVAC work done for suggestions. Worth of mouth referrals tend to carry a lot of weight as they are provided by people who have had first hand dealings with the professionals mentioned.
In case you can’t find anyone who can give you a solid referral, consider going online and searching for local HVAC repairs.
At the end of it all, you should have a reasonable number of potential hires in your shortlist.
HVAC Repair Near Me
All the companies you include in your shortlist should have a local presence, backed by a long standing history of providing quality HVAC maintenance services. Local companies that are deeply rooted into the community are less likely to close shop and vanish in the middle of the night at the first sign of an unsatisfied customer.
Furthermore, since most local service providers depend on word of mouth referrals to attract business, they are willing to go the extra mile in order to satisfy their customers.
References
Now that you have compiled a list of local AC repair services being considered for hire, as each one for a list of customers they have served in the past. To ensure that they don’t provide a list made up of their best jobs, specify the search criteria to be used in identifying the names to be included in the list of references.
Take the time to contact or even visit some, or all, of the references provided. You can ask the references to shed some light about what to expect when working with a given contractor.
Licensing And Insurance
Any companies offering AC repair service must be licensed as per the legal guidelines of the state they operate in. As such, it’s important for you to ascertain whether each of the companies on your list is operating legally, by carrying the necessary licensing. You can simply ask them to provide you with their license number; which you can look up afterwards to ascertain its validity.
Professional HVAC service providers also need to carry liability and workers’ compensation insurance to protect themselves and their clients against the cost of damages arising from the occurrence of a variety of work-related risks.
Brand Specific Certifications And Authorizations
To ensure that the manufacturer’s warranty cover on your HVAC system remains intact, even after conducting repairs, it’s important that you find a professional repair service that has an existing partnership with your unit’s specific brand.
Check for any certifications that demonstrate the service provider has undergone special training on the maintenance of such units. This certification should be accompanied by an authorization from the manufacturer allowing the service provider to handle the maintenance and repair of their units.
Remember to ask whether the service providers on your list use in house technicians or sub-contractors. If they do hire sub-contractors ask, and seek proof, on whether they are also authorized to handle such jobs without voiding the manufacturer’s warranty.
Choosing unauthorized repairmen to work on your unit will most likely void the manufacturer’s warranty.
Home Evaluation
To ensure that your AC is in good working order, the service should be willing to conduct a home evaluation to find out everything they need to know about the system before proposing the extent of the work to be done.
The home evaluation helps determine the specific needs of the entire space given its size and other factors such as level of insulation and number of windows. During the evaluation, the air conditioning maintenance technician will also get the opportunity to check for any issues in the system’s ductwork.
Cost Estimates
Knowing how much hiring a given HVAC maintenance service to handle the job at hand will cost definitely has a big influence on the final hiring decision. After the home evaluation, each service provide under consideration should be able to come up with a detailed cost estimate for the project.
Take the opportunity to go through each of the cost estimates provided, focusing on the cost items included. The main rule of thumb here is find the contractor offering the most value for your money, instead of one offering the lowest cost estimate.
You can also take this opportunity to enquire about any special deals the service providers may be willing to bring to the table to sweeten the deal.
Energy Efficiency/Green Practices
HVAC systems work hard to keep indoor conditions safe and comfortable for occupants; they consumer a lot of energy to get this done. If energy consumption is of concern to you, it’s important that you consider it during the hiring process as well. Seek clarification on the energy efficiency of the replacement parts used by the HVAC repair near me on under consideration.
ENERGY STAR parts and products meet the most stringent energy efficiency standards, as specified by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Written Agreement
The best HVAC repair near me should be willing to put all the details of your agreement into writing. The written contract should document important details such as the extent of the maintenance/repair work, project duration and payment conditions among others.
The written agreement can be used to determine just how well the company you end up hiring handles the task at hand. It can also be used to back up any legal claims you might want to make in future with regard to any discrepancies discovered between the details of the agreement, and the actual work done.
Although the above list of factors to consider when it comes to hiring the best AC repair service is not completely exhaustive, it should give you a clear idea of how to identify the right pick.