Choosing a good air conditioning contractor can mean the difference between being able to easily cool off in the summertime and having to spend thousands of dollars on recurring maintenance and repairs.
In the following article, you’ll find a few helpful points on what to avoid when shopping around for contractors, as well as a few questions to ask yourself to make sure that you choose the best one. You can check out https://tekclimate.ca/maple-ridge/air-conditioning/ for more information on air conditioning contractors in your area.
Beware of Extremely Low Prices
Although you typically want to find yourself the lowest price possible, we recommend that you avoid going with the absolute lowest price in the area.
In the end, the cheaper a contractor is, the more likely they’re going to cut corners, which could end up costing you significantly more money in the long run.
Furthermore, since cheap contractors usually won’t be offering their employees the best wages in the industry, they’re less likely to have trained and qualified technicians working for them. With that said, it’s always best to avoid going with the lowest costing contractor.
Beware of Contractors Without Reviews
Of course, all contractors have to start out somewhere. But when you see an air conditioning contractor that doesn’t have any reviews on sites such as Google or Yelp, you might want to think twice about working with them.
Unfortunately, the heating and air conditioning industry sees tons of contractors come and go every single year, which often leaves customers without anyone to come back and fix any work that might be covered under warranty.
One of the best indications that a company is trustworthy and will last long enough to warranty their work, is if they’ve been in business for at least a few years.
The longer a company can prove that they’ve been able to survive the ups and downs of past seasons, the more likely it is they’ll still be around when your air conditioner needs some work done under warranty in a few years.
Beware of Too Good to Be True
It’s perfectly normal to find a company offering some sort of sale from time to time. However, always be leery about companies who consistently advertise cheap $30 service calls or anything that just seems too good to be true.
Many of these companies try to lure in unsuspecting victims by promising them dirt-cheap prices, but once they have you hooked, they’ll end up charging all sorts of outrageous service and repair costs.
Remember to always trust your gut instinct and when something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Learn more about essential air conditioner maintenance tips here.
What to Ask Yourself Before Hiring an A/C Contractor
Below, we’re going to go over a few important questions that you need to ask yourself before hiring any contractor to come into your home and work on your air conditioning system.
Does the contractor’s fleet look professional?
It can be unnerving to see a contractor pull up to your house in an old, beat up, and unmarked truck.
Not only does this leave you wondering if the contractor actually works for the company you hired, it also leaves you worried about whether they’ll treat your home in the same way as they do their vehicle.
On the other hand, a trustworthy contractor will always show up in a clean, professional-looking service vehicle with the company’s name clearly displayed on it.
Does the contractor have an actual address?
While there are plenty of legitimate air conditioning contractors operating out of their homes, a reputable contractor will still have a physical address.
However, fly-by-night companies or those who just aren’t planning on standing behind their work, won’t usually let you know where they live or where their office is located.
That being said, always check the company’s website. If there is no address listed, it might be best to look for someone else to work with.
Do the company’s employees look clean and professional?
In general, companies that provide their employees with full uniforms and insist on a certain level of grooming usually tend to have a much more professional approach to running their business. Disreputable contractors, on the other hand, often wear normal clothing, which tends to look less professional.
Does the company guarantee their price before starting the work?
A good, reputable contractor will always use a flat rate pricing, which is much fairer for the customer and guarantees that everyone pays the same prices for the same work.
Plus, there’s no need to “watch the clock” while the technician is working. Even if they work at a slower pace, the price will still be the same.
Does the company offer a warranty?
Good contractors, especially those who are confident in the work that they do, usually offer better warranties to their customers. On the other hand, if a contractor doesn’t seem willing to guarantee that they’ll come back for repairs if anything breaks, they’re probably not worth hiring.
Is the contractor properly licensed and insured?
Under no circumstance should you ever allow an unlicensed contractor to perform any work on your air conditioning or heating system. Not only is working without a license against the law, it also puts you and your family at risk if the technician doesn’t really know what they’re doing.
It’s also important to make sure that the contractor of your choice is insured in case an employee gets hurt while working on your property. Generally, a reputable contractor will always provide you with copies of their liability and worker’s compensation insurance.
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