You probably grew up with an independent attitude, always trying to take care of problems on your own. The classic philosophy is that doing something yourself will save you money, but when it comes to HVAC systems, that may not be true. What’s more, it’s important to choose wisely from licensed professionals. Here are six people in or around Springfield, Georgia, who are likely to do more harm than good if you trust them to repair your HVAC system.
Fly-by-night Contractors
Never trust a contractor or company that gives you rock-bottom prices right off the bat. HVAC repair is difficult and highly technical work that should not be done for pennies on the dollar. You’re much safer sticking with a reputable, licensed company and capitalizing on a special offer to get lower prices on solid work.
Know-It-All Contractors
No matter how talented and experienced an HVAC repair professional is, he or she isn’t telepathic. You should never trust a company that gives you a firm estimate over the phone or email without coming to your house to look at the unit in question. Even if you know what’s wrong, no serious company will make offers until they’ve inspected the unit on their own to find out for sure what’s wrong and how much work will be needed to fix it.
The Next-Door Neighbor
We all have a friendly fix-it neighbor, and while he or she might be a wizard with car engines or lawnmowers, a good neighbor should recognize the essential role an HVAC system plays and refer you to a professional. Anyone who isn’t truly experienced risks doing more damage and wasting your time. An offer of free repairs, nice as it seems, is likely to result in more time spent without a running system.
Upseller Contractors
These types exist in all businesses. For example, someone comes into your home and says you need the biggest, most expensive air conditioning unit they have to replace your hopeless, dead one. They even tell you that it’ll pay for itself in the long run. A real contractor, though, will do everything they can to repair a system first. Only then, in the rare case that repairs aren’t possible, would he or she start a discussion about replacements. If it reaches that point, a good contractor will also inspect your home top to bottom — through the duct system, insulation, windows, and more — to see what system would fit you best.
Upsellers will rarely mention the size of your home or ask about your specific heating or cooling needs. They insist that whichever model nets them the most profit is perfect for everybody, which is simply not true.
Yourself
Watching a video and risking electrocution is not worth saving a few dollars. Most people on YouTube are not trained professionals sharing their secrets. Even if you think fixing your heater or AC isn’t too dangerous, remember that DIY work could ultimately end up costing you much more time and money than if you hire a skilled technician. Inevitably, you’ll run into kinks and confusing jams and have to shop online for parts. You might get the system working again, only for it to fail harder the next day. Time is money, and you can save yourself huge amounts of both by hiring a confident professional with years of experience.
One note that we can’t stress enough: systems that use pressure, units that use gas, and leaking water heaters are all emergencies that you must call a company to fix immediately. Under no circumstances should you deal with these situations yourself.
The New Kids on the Block
Has a new company in town opened its doors recently and not yet earned many reviews or word-of-mouth recommendations? It may seem nice to help them out, but now is not the time to lend business to an untested contractor. Repair situations are the one case where you definitely want an established local business every time.
Remember that getting a system repaired doesn’t have to take tons of time or money. If you’re interested in our air conditioning repair services, call us at 912-373-8447. Our professionals can often visit on the same day for emergency repairs.
Image provided by Shutterstock
