Emergency AC repairs are those repairs that cannot wait. Emergency AC repairs include repairing an air conditioner when the temperature outside if over a hundred degrees Fahrenheit or ninety degrees with high humidity. In these environmental conditions, it is hot enough to pose a risk to everyone’s health. The health risk is greatest for the very young, the very old and those who are medically fragile. Those who are overweight are also unable to handle extremely high temperatures for a long time and have trouble keeping cool.
Emergency AC repairs are those that cannot wait until 9 AM Monday morning. Emergency repair calls come in at two in the morning or nine at night. Calls for help are as likely to be made on Saturday night as Tuesday afternoon. When you need emergency AC repairs done, you want to call a company that answers the phone and dispatches technicians 24×7.
How are emergency AC repairs different from conventional repairs?
Emergency AC repairs drive homeowners to rush to get the problem fixed. They may take the word of the first person to arrive to make an estimate, and then pay more for the service than they would pay if they received multiple estimates. Emergency AC repairs are also more likely to be expensive because they occur when demand is highest; there are few calls for AC repair in April when the temperature may not go above 80°F. When it is 100°F outside, more people find themselves in need of AC repairs due to equipment usage and urgently seeking help, leaving the customer facing HVAC companies that can charge high rates and move on to the next desperate customer if this customer says no.
Customers place a premium on completing the work as soon as possible during an emergency. They are more willing to pay expedite fees for part deliveries or pay extra for a new unit instead of waiting for the right part. Home owners need to be careful of HVAC contractors that add on extra fees for emergency service or substitute a whole unit replacement (and the higher cost) for an otherwise minor repair.
What Can I Do If Faced with Emergency Repairs?
One option is to develop an ongoing relationship with an AC contractor that charges as much for emergency repairs as general repairs. I would rather pay the same amount for a service regardless of the conditions than be hit with an emergency service fee on top of the aggravation of having the AC go out.
Another way to avoid these problems is to work with a reputable AC repair company that performs emergency AC repairs as well as non-urgent repairs. I discovered that getting problems fixed early on and maintaining the unit properly prevents costly, emergency repairs later. I’ve made an even greater investment by signing up for an AC maintenance contract with an AC contractor to keep my system up and running. This minimizes my risk of emergency repairs in the future and ensures that if I do have emergency repairs, I’ll have first priority with a reputable air conditioning firm.