By Brenda Ashaka
Alpha 4 Real AC & Heating Service, Katy, TX
Are you looking to hire the best air conditioning repair and HVAC service company near you in Katy, TX? If so, the first thing you must know is that there are a few companies in our area. This means you may have to dig deeper to find the right HVAC repair company for your AC repair job.
If you have lived long enough in Katy, TX, you know how essential a good working cooling and heating system is. In the summer, temperatures can easily hit the triple digits and lately, we have been having colder winters making it essential to have a good working AC unit in your home or business.
This makes it important that you hire the best AC repair company. The good news is that it is not a very difficult thing to do. You just need to follow a few steps that we have outlined in this guide and you should be in good shape.
How to Hire the Best AC Repair Company in Katy, TX
What do you need to know to hire the best AC repair company in Katy, TX? Just follow the steps below.
- Know your AC system
- Find a Licensed, Bonded, and Insured Company
- Ask family and friends for referrals
- Look for an experienced AC repair company
- Consider the services the company offers
- Communication and flexibility matter
- Consider after repair maintenance services offered
- Don’t hire based on price alone
- Get a written estimate
- Don’t get a price quote over the phone
- Get multiple price quotes
- Check reviews but don’t rely on them
- Ask a lot of questions
1. Know Your AC System
Before you look for AC repair companies in Katy, TX, it is important that you know as much information about your system as possible. You need to know stuff like the brand of the AC currently installed in your home or office. Is it a Trane, Goodman, Carrier, or another brand? How old is the AC unit? What is the maintenance history of the AC unit?
When you are familiar with your system, it is easier to talk to AC repair companies when you reach out to them. They may ask you questions about your unit and you will need this information to answer the questions. Knowing about your unit will also help you decide whether a repair, service or AC replacement is the best option for you.
2. Find a licensed, bonded, and insured AC Repair Company
The best and most experienced AC repair technicians in Katy, Houston, Sugar Land, or anywhere else will occasionally experience a mishap. It is, therefore, important to ensure that the company you eventually hire to repair your AC is licensed, insured, and bonded.
Knowing that the AC repair company you are working with has the right permits, licenses, and insurance in place will not only give you peace of mind, it also tells you the technician they are sending out is properly educated, trained, tested, and is familiar with the latest HVAC repair trends and codes for Katy, TX.
Also, knowing that the company is insured and bonded tells you that should there be an incident on your property while the technician is there, you are covered and do not have liabilities.
3. Ask family and friends for referrals
It is important to know that the company you are considering has worked with someone you know. Ask family, friends, and co-workers for referrals and recommendations based on their past experience with AC repair companies in your area.
This is a free invaluable service that you definitely should take advantage of. When talking to them about their past experiences with the company, be sure to ask them why they needed AC repair in the first place, the type of repair the company did on their unit, and how satisfied they were with the after-repair maintenance service.
Be aware though that basing your decision on recommendations from family and friends alone is not the best way to decide on the right company for you. Use their recommendations in conjunction with other factors outlined in this article.
4. Look for an experienced AC repair company
Whether you need heating (HVAC) service or an AC repair company, nothing beats experience. Experience with your brand of AC is essential. It is important that you find an experienced AC technician. You will find many people offering to repair your unit but most of them may not have the right experience to repair your heating and cooling system in Katy, TX.
Make sure the company you hire has the experience needed to fix your AC unit. Check how long the company has been in business and working in Katy, TX. It will be awesome if you can find a technician or company familiar with your particular brand and has many years experience fixing them. This means they know the common issues that affect the brand and can easily fix them.
5. Consider the services the company offers
When searching for an HVAC repair company near you, consider the types of services they offer. An experienced AC repair company will also offer maintenance, such as AC inspections, tune-ups, cleanings, and even offer maintenance agreements to give you additional peace of mind.
See also: 5 Best Air Conditioner Brands in Katy, TX in 2022.
Look for a company that offers 24-hour, 7 days a week, AC repair services. The right company should also be able to detect other issues that may not be readily apparent and alert you to them before they become major issues.
6. Communication and flexibility matter
Most experienced air conditioning repair companies will be flexible when it comes to their time. They will be able to work around your time and not theirs. They will also be able to answer all your questions and explain to you in plain language without all the jargon the issues wrong with your air conditioner, and how quickly they can fix them.
If the company you are looking at can’t answer your questions to your satisfaction, look for a different company.
7. Consider after repair maintenance services offered
When deciding on a heating and cooling service company, look for one that can provide additional maintenance once the job is done. This could be in the form of a good maintenance agreement but you need to know that the company will be there months from now when you need them
8. Don’t hire based on price alone
This is the most common mistake homeowners make when looking for an AC repair company in Katy, TX – they hire the cheapest company they can find. They say you get what you pay for. Also, the company you hire should not be the most expensive. Remember, just because a company is quoting you a high price doesn’t necessarily mean they are the best. They may just have inflated prices.
When hiring an AC repair specialist, look for a company that can immediately tell you what the problem is and how much it will cost to repair it. There should be no hidden cost and the company must be able to disclose all fees in writing, in advance before any work is done. Be wary of the company or specialist if they can’t do that.
9. Get a written estimate
Following up on not hiring a company or specialist based on price alone, make sure you get a written estimate of the cost of repair. The estimate should clearly state what the company will be replacing, repairing, or servicing, and the cost of the repair, service, or replacement.
10. Don’t get a price quote over the phone
Don’t get a repair price quote over the phone. Get it in writing. Verbal, over-the-phone- price quotes are not binding.
Also, no experienced AC repair company will quote you a price over the phone without sending out an experienced technician to take a look at your unit and determine what the problem is. So, if a company is quoting you a price over the phone, that is a sure sign that it is time to walk away and speak with someone else.
11. Get multiple price quotes
Another thing to consider when you want to hire an Ac repair company in Katy, TX is you need to get more than one price quote. This will allow you to determine the best service provider for your HVAC repair.
You will find that some companies will quote very high prices while others will quote low prices. You want to be in the middle but getting multiple price quotes will allow you to comparison shop.
12. Check reviews but don’t rely on them
Check online reviews of the AC repair companies you are looking to hire, but don’t make your decision based on online reviews alone. Most companies pay for reviews so look for a company with a few lower ratings.
If a company has all 5-star ratings, be wary of them since no business can have a perfect rating or record. There will always be a few unhappy customers especially if the HVAC contractor has been around for a long time, so look for a company that has served many customers even if some of the ratings are less than perfect. This lets you know you are working with a company that will work hard to satisfy you and make sure you are happy with them before they leave your premises.
13. Ask a lot of questions
Yes, you read that right. As a ton of questions and watch how the company answers them. Did they get irritated because you are asking too many questions or do they have enough patience to answer all your questions? Are they knowledgeable enough to give you straight answers? Look for a company that will take the time to ensure all your questions are answered.
If you are looking for an AC repair company in Katy, TX, consider hiring Alpha 4 Real AC & Heating. We have been around for over 30 years and we will work with you to ensure you are 100% satisfied. We also offer warranties and maintenance agreement.
