Air conditioners are the biggest and inevitable necessity nowadays for every residential, commercial, or industrial area. Whenever our HVAC appliance malfunctions, we trust our local Los Angeles HVAC contractors for instant repair. Unfortunately, not all commercial HVAC companies operate honestly. HVAC scams are becoming common in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning industry.
These scams can cost homeowners and business owners thousands of dollars in unnecessary repairs and replacements.
Common HVAC Scams
To avoid being scammed by your HVAC service provider, we will discuss some of the most common HVAC scams and what you need to know to avoid them.
Unlicensed Professional HVAC Contractors
In this HVAC scam, the people offering their services are not qualified to be HVAC technicians and don’t possess any licenses. The homeowners usually get fooled by such unprofessional. Resultantly, they fail to get the professional touch as required. HVAC units serviced by unqualified individuals may break down more often. Hence, this can put you and your family at risk if it suffers a dangerous malfunction.
Fortunately, we live in an era where running a background check on anything is easy. Make sure you check the contractor’s license before hiring. You can verify the contractor by checking their online presence as most legitimate HVAC contractors have their websites.
The “Free” Inspection Scam
Some HVAC companies offer “free” inspections to homeowners and business owners. While this may seem like a great deal, keep in mind that it usually is a scam. The company may even create a problem that doesn’t exist just to charge you for a repair.
To avoid these types of HVAC scams, always research the HVAC company before scheduling a free inspection. Look for past clients, reviews, and ratings from previous customers. Make sure the company is licensed and insured. If you do schedule an inspection, ask the technician to show you any issues they find and explain them in detail.
Replacing Parts unnecessarily
A service HVAC technician may inspect your appliance and tell you that a part needs repair when the part is perfectly fine. Therefore, a big red flag is when a technician suggests you have several faulty parts. As this is very rarely the case. In the majority of air conditioner failures, one defective part compromises the integrity of the whole unit. Chances are, multiple parts aren’t functioning because of that one broken part.
Moreover, most of the time, the cost of replacing the part will be so high therefore, buying a whole new unit appears to be the right choice.
Replacing damaged parts with used ones
If an HVAC contractor is offering you to replace a damaged or malfunctioning part of your unit with a used part he has, know that it is a type of HVAC scams
Replacement of a used part means it was removed from another unit, making it no longer that reliable. It’s also more likely to cause your HVAC unit more harm than good. A used part can badly affect your unit’s overall efficiency as well as put more strain on the other components of your unit. Besides, you can’t also expect them to work for more than just a few weeks.
Although used parts may be a quick, easy, and cheap alternative for your HVAC issue, they can be a nuisance in the long run. Always ask for new parts when something needs to be replaced.
The “Emergency” Repair HVAC Scam
Some HVAC companies will claim that you need emergency repairs and charge you a premium for the service. In some cases, they may even claim that your system is dangerous and needs to be shut down immediately. Their purpose would be to make you panic so that you give them the authority to do anything to save your equipment. This way they will bill you heavily. This can be a frightening experience for homeowners and business owners, but it is often an HVAC scam.
To avoid this scam, always ask for a detailed explanation of the problem and why it is an emergency. If possible, get a second opinion from another HVAC company before agreeing to any repairs.
The “Too Good to Be True” Deal Scam
Some HVAC companies offer deals that seem too good to be true. For example, they may advertise a new HVAC system for a price that is significantly lower than their competitors. While it may be tempting to avail of these deals, they are often HVAC scams.
In many cases, these companies use inferior products during installation to keep costs down. This can lead to a system that doesn’t work properly or needs to be replaced sooner than expected.
To avoid this scam, always research commercial HVAC companies and get multiple quotes for any work you need to do.
Offering oversized units
An honest and trustworthy HVAC contractor will always recommend the right size of AC unit for your area. They will first visit the area, will inspect your location, and suggest you an appropriate size. Scammers, however, will try to sell you the biggest unit they have regardless of the size of your home.
For scammers, it is beneficial to force a customer to buy a bigger unit. As the price tag would be higher and the installation charges would be more expensive. This will be therefore potentially more profitable for them.
So if a contractor recommends a large HVAC unit for your home, seek the opinion of other contractors first. A smaller and more affordable unit would be perfectly fine for your home.
Related: Why an Oversized Air Conditioner is a Serious Problem
Asking for payment beforehand rendering services
When an HVAC contractor is asking for money before providing any HVAC services, your sixth sense should be ringing. As the person you’re talking to is running one of the oldest air conditioning repair scams on you. Asking for advance payment without rendering any service is a scam that is done in many industries other than HVAC.
Honest and legitimate HVAC contractors would never ask their customers for money upfront. The common practice is to perform the job to the best of their abilities, and bill customers only after the work is done. If an HVAC contractor seeking to do any repair or maintenance services for you asks for an advance before they do any work, consider it a red flag and ask him to leave the premises.
In conclusion, HVAC scams are unfortunately common in the industry. These are just some of the common HVAC repair scams that have been making prey to unknowing homeowners across the United States. You can avoid falling for these scams by:
- Do more research to find honest and reliable commercial HVAC companies before scheduling any work.
- Get multiple quotes.
- Contact their previous customers and their experiences.
- Ask the company for written estimates for any services or repairs.
- If you suspect an HVAC scam, get a second opinion from another HVAC company.
By being vigilant, you can protect yourself from unnecessary expenses and ensure your HVAC system is running efficiently.
Contact Alturas HVAC Contractors in Los Angeles
Contact Alturas HVAC Contractors in Los Angeles. We have been providing installation, maintenance, and HVAC repair services for all types of HVAC equipment for over a decade. We have a database of satisfied and recurrent customers who count on us in case of any emergency.
Our team thoroughly inspect your HVAC equipment and diagnose and rectify the issue with honesty. We have professional HVAC installers who are well-equipped to diagnose and treat all types of HVAC problems that a homeowner may not be able to identify. For more information about HVAC emergency prevention and services contact Alturas HVAC contractors.
