When searching for a HVAC contractor, you may have stumbled across the term “service call fee.” Also called a “trip charge,” this fee is the amount an HVAC company charges for sending a technician to your home when your heating or AC unit seems to be malfunctioning.
Why Do HVAC Companies Use a Service Call Fee?
A service call fee recoups the cost of traveling to your home. After all, this takes time, consumes fuel, and increases wear and tear on the company vehicle. It’s important to know that service call fees don’t typically come with parts and labor if you opt for a repair or replacement.
How Costly is a Service Call Fee?
Every HVAC company chooses how much to charge for a service call. Some companies utilize a standard or flat rate for each service call, while others adjust the cost if the appointment is further outside the established service radius. The particular cost changes with market and company, but you may expect an average trip charge to be around $79 to $129.
Who is Responsible for the Service Call Fee?
If you arrange a service call, you will need to produce the trip charge regardless of what step you take after. For starters, you could choose to move forward with the technician’s recommended repair or replacement, depending on which choice is more cost effective.
You are welcome to compare varied job estimates from trusted HVAC companies—just don’t forget that you can end up paying a trip charge for all these visits. Even if you take no action after the first service call, you will still owe the technician a fee for coming to your home and carrying out diagnostics.
How Can I Avoid Paying a Service Call Fee?
A good way to minimize trip charges is to purchase an HVAC membership from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. All four of our memberships include a waived service call fee, and so we’ll come to your home and evaluate your HVAC system for free.
Other money-saving benefits of an HVAC maintenance membership are:
- No overtime charges
- 15% savings on repairs
- 15% savings on indoor air quality products
- And much more
If your furnace or air conditioner is working poorly, or you’re looking into an affordable HVAC maintenance plan, Roland J. Down Service Experts is happy to help. We charge some of the most affordable service call fees to get your HVAC repair or replacement started. We are also willing to help our customers save money on emergency repairs, replacements and maintenance with special offers on our website. If you’re ready to enjoy savings and peace of mind while enhancing efficiency and home comfort, give us a call at 518-417-2938 today!