Keeping cool during the summer months is always a challenge. Thank goodness for the luxury of air conditioning.
But what if something happens to your air conditioner and it breaks down or doesn’t seem to work in the same capacity as before? That’s when you know it’s time for air conditioning repair.
In order to seek out the best company to help you, you’ll need to be aware of what qualities to look for. Here is everything to know about what makes an AC repair company trustworthy before you shell out any money.
Find Air Conditioning Repair Reviews From Satisfied Customers Either Online or in Person
Think about how you look for professionals to serve you and help you make the most of your home. Do you open the phone book or start searching for the nearest person?
Consider the last time you got someone to recommend a good plumber or carpenter. Chances are you looked for word-of-mouth suggestions from someone who was happy with the work.
When you’re looking for an air conditioning repair company, make sure you find one that has lots of positive reviews. Either check online, talk to people willing to provide references, or check the Better Business Beauru.
This allows you to learn more about the company, if there are outstanding issues, and how they handle problems when they arise. You’ll feel confident you’re in good hands when you go about finding help this way.
Watch Out For an Air Conditioning Repair Company With Prices Too Good to Be True
One important aspect of seeking services from a repair company is to check and see what the prices look like. Are they across the board with everything else other companies charge, or are they too low?
You’ll feel tempted to call a company that has especially low prices, thinking this is the best way to take care of any problems. It’s important to view prices that are far below market value as a red flag.
An air conditioning repair company that does this either baits customers with a low inspection fee, and makes up for it with overcharged technician prices, or it the quality of the work is lacking, but the company does this in order to get booked.
Seek out places that take care of their customers and ensure their work is of lasting quality, such as this company.
Check Out Their Vehicles and Professionalism Before You Decide
You’ll learn a lot about the company by the types of cars they drive and how they’re maintained. This includes the way the workers present themselves in uniform, and how they act when arriving at your house.
Although it’s not always apparent what basic work vehicle etiquette gets followed, see how the company truck looks. If it’s in disrepair, faded, or otherwise looks ill-maintained, that’s not a good sign.
Likewise, if workers turn up to your home in dirty uniforms but it’s still early in the day, don’t have basic tools, or are otherwise rude, take your business elsewhere.
It’s easy to see how an air conditioning repair company values themselves based on how they treat their employees, and what they believe customers should get treated like in return.
A good technician always makes sure customer satisfaction and safety is part of the solution when performing work.
See How Much the Company Values Education
Education is important no matter what profession someone is in. See how often workers for the company get continuing education, if possible.
This could be in the form of seminars, classes, or other ways that employees can increase their knowledge on various types of air conditioning and heating units, and what the best way to repair them is.
You want a company to have the latest knowledge when working on your fixtures, particularly if you bought a newer air conditioning unit. The worst thing to happen would result in the company not knowing how to fix something, just because it’s new.
Learning is crucial no matter what the job is, so seek companies that value their employees and want to invest in them and what they know.
Make Sure the Air Conditioning Repair Company Properly Assess Your Home
No two homes are the same, as any repair company can tell you. Whoever you hire should be aware of what your home looks like, both inside and out, and any unique needs your home has.
If your house is near a marsh or swamp area, a plumber would want to know this, so he can understand how to work around special needs you’d run into, such as flooding. A pest control company would find out what bugs live in the area, and what specific issues you’re experiencing with them.
Likewise, an air conditioning repair company should consider factors such as:
- The age of your home
- Your air conditioner, how old it is, and if its a unit or is central
- What current problems you’re experiencing and how to best handle them
- How often you’ve had your air conditioner evaluated
A proper assessment normally involves the worker checking both inside and outside the home, and looking for cracks, seeing how the air conditioner works, and testing it to find out what the problems are. Technicians make sure they fully understand what the problem is, and actually listen to the customer’s concerns rather than just dismissing them.
Double Check for Warranties On Work Performed
Warranties might sound as though you’re being overprotective, but it’s good insurance for the work getting done. Any air conditioning repair company that comes out to work on your equipment would provide a warranty on their repairs.
Warranties help by:
- Ensuring work for a length of time
- Sometimes allowing you to extend the coverage if you think that helps
- State clearly what is and is not covered
Good warranties stand behind the work the company does while looking out for the customer. When the work falls under the timeframe with the warranty, the company has no issue coming out and ensuring it’s fixed to completion.
If any company you’re choosing to work with doesn’t stand behind these guidelines, it’s best to leave and look for one that does. You’ll find the results better and won’t worry about the quality of work attached to something that isn’t covered.
Find Out What Awards the Company Won
Many companies win awards for the quality of their work. A good air conditioning repair company is no different and would get recognized by either the customers, the community, or both as doing something noteworthy to be recognized and appreciated for.
The best way to identify if a company won awards is by checking their website, and seeing if they’re known for anything. From just one award to several, look for qualities like:
- Customer service
- Work performed in a timely manner
- Best reviews
- Best quality of work
Look for awards within the industry to see how the company matches up with its peers. An air conditioning repair company that won awards would likely share with potential and new customers, to help establish trust, but don’t rely on the website alone.
Ask the company up front and find out if they’re noted for anything. A little research on what their specialty is helps to give you confidence in the work they’re about to do for you.
Learn More
Before you hire an air conditioning repair company to come to your home, make sure you’ve reviewed the company and know what types of services they’ll provide. Ensure you feel confident that they’ll perform the work to your specifications, and keep your unit or system working properly.
Finding good help is never easy, no matter what type of contractor you’re seeking. Many people feel tempted to do everything themselves, but don’t always get the results they’re looking for.
Make sure to check out our blog on DIY vs. hiring a contractor for flooring, and get fully informed before deciding to do everything yourself, rather than outsourcing to a qualified professional.