Free Homeowners Protection Guide for Air Conditioning Repair

10 things I need to know when hiring a contractor
1. Are there employees drug tested and background checked:
Hiring statistics compiled by service companies who do drug test and background check tell us that on average those contactors have to interview 13 applicants to get one new hire, where do you think those other 12 guys are working. The top three trades being taught in our prison system are Electrical, HVAC and plumbing.
2. Are they a licensed contractor in your state/county:
Many contractors operate without a license, that means no insurance and no recourse for you if you are dissatisfied. In the event you should have a problem with a contractor your states board for licensing contractors is the first organization you should contact they will immediately take action to resolve the issue and if the contractor in question is licensed they will respond if they want to keep their license in tact.
3. What type of pricing do they have, i.e. time/material, flat rate, other:
Many companies are vague about their pricing or they charge by the hour giving them every incentive to take their time. GET THE PRICE BEFORE APPROVING ANY WORK. If a service provider is unwilling to price his work before proceeding then he is not confident in his ability and you should not be either. , contact another company immediately.
4.Are there any on time guarantees.
Contrary to popular opinion you should be able to find a contractor who will at least give you a time window when they will show up and the good ones will guarantee there arrival time. This is the number one complaint of consumers about service providers and a good customer service oriented company will address the issue and use it to add value to their service.
5. What are there repair guarantees?
Most companies will guarantee their repairs for thirty days but quality companies, (and there should be one or two in your area), will guarantee repairs for the cooling or heating season and possibly one year. The really good companies have limited lifetime guarantees on repairs but whatever the guarantee if the service person at your home does not know what his companies policies are or appears to not want to discuss the subject and put it in writing BEWARE.
6.What kind of equipment do they usually work on, i.e. appliances, refrigeration, residential or commercial.
If your air conditioner is broken call an air conditioning company, if your plumbing is broken call a plumber, etc. companies who advertise too many varied kinds of services often do not do any of them very well. When you need a heart transplant you do not go to a foot doctor, use the same logic for your home services.
7.Do they sell equipment and what brands?
If a service contractor does not sell a certain brand of equipment, they will probably have to buy repair parts at retail prices meaning you will pay more. Companies who sell certain brands have factory training available to their technicians. Manufacturers support their retailers with technical support from the factory allowing any repair or warranty issues to be resolved with a quick phone call.
8.How long have they been in business?
While time in business by itself is not a guarantee of quality, longevity is an indicator of a certain level of competence and stability. If a company is new to the industry and they did not come from a personal referral you will definitely want to get second opinions and bids.
9.What areas do they serve?
If your home or business is, too far from the main area of focus for a contractor the chances of a decrease in responsiveness and likelihood of the cost going up on your job increase. Many companies will have several phone numbers listed in the yellow pages to make potential customers believe they are located in several different areas when in reality all the numbers are going to the same office.
10.Are they willing to assist you over the phone?
Quality contractors know that nuisance calls happen and that showing up at your house for ten minutes and charging you $150 is not providing true customer service. Anyone who is interested in what is best for you and your long-term relationship with him or her will be glad to spend five minutes on the phone with you to walk you through a problem. If you ask to speak to a service person and they try to talk you into a service call that is a red flag.
Five questions to ask before approving any repair
1. How long is this repair guaranteed, if the service person is not willing to guarantee the repair for at least 30 days you should not approve the repair, a good company will guarantee any repair for at least the season. Exceptional companies, and they are rare, will guarantee their repairs for a year. The cream of the crop have guarantees for certain repairs for the life of the equipment.
2. Can I have the old parts. If the service person hesitates at this request that is a big red flag, you should be able to see exactly what is being replaced. Quality auto mechanics have done this for years because several garages had been caught charging customers for parts that were never replaced and the same thing happens in the home repair service industry.
3. How did we determine the cost. The service person should have no trouble explaining how the price was determined, if they cannot you should consider shopping around.
Each company will have a system of either time and material or flat rate
pricing and they should be able to explain to you which system they use and
why your repair falls into a certain category
4. Are these parts universal or oem (original equipment manufacturer). This question is very important if your equipment is under warranty and it may affect the pricing. Universal parts cost less and save money for the service company by cutting down on inventory, in most of the cases they are of inferior quality so you should make sure the company will guarantee them for at least a year.
OEM parts will keep your warrantees in tact and assure that another part of
The system does not have to be altered to accept a universal part.
5. How long are the new parts guaranteed. This question has a lot to do with #1 because if a fan motor or compressor is guaranteed for a year then the entire repair should be guaranteed similarly. There are a wide range of guarantees in the service industry and if your technician is not eager to talk about his companies guarantees that should be a cause for concern.