For many homeowners, a fully functioning central air conditioning system is a necessity during the summer months. Therefore, finding that your unit is not working properly can create a lot of discomfort at home. It gets worse when it's difficult to find a dependable air conditioning repair service to perform the necessary repairs.
To help you find the right, local repair service and get your system back in working order, we've put together some essential tips, below.
If you start your search online, you can find out a lot about each company you research even before making a phone call or an appointment. When you search online, you'll want to narrow your search to local service companies who regularly work in your area, since these companies know your city, its homes and typical systems. To do a local search, use specific key terms. For example, when looking for repair service companies in Cleveland, OH, you might type in "air conditioning service cleveland" in the search bar. This will yield results for many of the service companies in your area, as well as possible links to consumer reviews of these same companies.
An online search can also be valuable because most companies taking time and effort to create online resources for customers are also committed to providing exceptional customer service and dependability in order to maintain their high-quality reputation, online and offline.
One often overlooked source of information that can be helpful in finding high-quality air conditioner repair services is your A/C unit itself. Examine your A/C system to see whether there is documentation relating to the company that installed it or serviced it before and call them to ask about their service and availability. Most local air conditioning repair services place a tag or some other identifying marks on the cooling system that they have either installed originally or previously worked on. This information will save you the time you would have otherwise spent looking for a knowledgeable and experienced technician. Beside, you will have confidence that your prospective A/C contractor has worked on your system before.
This is arguably the most commonly employed source of information when looking for a good, experienced A/C company. You can simply ask your friends and neighbors about the contractor they rely on in fixing their systems.
After obtaining the name of their most preferred technician, you will want to check them out online. A contractor who has a very professional, clean and easy-to-navigate website is likely to be reliable and skillful. A professional company will always take pride in the way they are represented and displayed online.
Besides being skilled in the repair, their reputation is a sure sign of quality. You should seek reviews online and elsewhere from previous and current clients. These reviews will give you good insight into many aspects of the company, including expertise, timeliness, professionalism and price fairness.
It is also crucial that you check your prospective contractor’s Better Business Bureau rating. You will want to steer clear of companies that have earned undesirable ratings or have multiple complaints on file against them. You may consider avoiding companies altogether that are not registered with the BBB.
A company that obtains the proper license, insurance and certifications shows their awareness of the prevailing laws, policies and regulations for A/C repair service. Your prospective service provider should also be bonded, having set aside an amount to ensure that you get recourse in the event that the work provided is below standard. All workers should also be insured. This will protect you in the event that a worker sustains injuries while doing the job on your property.
As the saying goes, "You get what you pay for." If you choose a contractor without asking the right questions or choose one based on price alone, you may find yourself back in the same situation — needing repair again too soon.
Before signing a contract with your prospective air conditioner repair service provider, you should always receive a written, detailed quote for the entire job to be done. All quotes should be in writing and show signatures to enable you pull out the original quote at the actual time of repair.
Our free e-book below can give you even more advice to follow when you're looking to hire an HVAC company, whether for a repair or a new installation.
Image credit: Dennis Skley
