[companynWhen searching for a heating and cooling contractor, you may have run across the term “service call fee.” Also called a “trip charge,” this fee is the amount an HVAC company bills for sending a technician to your home when your heating or air conditioner seems to be acting up.
Why Do HVAC Companies Use a Service Call Fee?
A service call fee covers the cost of traveling to your home. After all, this takes time, uses fuel, and results in wear and tear on the company vehicle. Be aware that service call fees don’t often 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 any service call, while others adjust the cost if the customer is located outside the established service radius. The specific cost varies by market and company, but you can expect your usual 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 pay the trip charge regardless of what step you take after. For starters, you might choose to agree with the technician’s recommended repair or replacement, depending on which method is more cost effective.
You are welcome to compile several job estimates from different HVAC companies—just be aware that you can end up paying a trip charge for each one. Even if you take no action after the first service call, you will still owe the contractor a fee for coming to your home and performing diagnostics.
How Can I Skip Paying a Service Call Fee?
A smart way to minimize trip charges is to enroll in 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.
Additional 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 acting up, or you’re interested in an affordable HVAC maintenance plan, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning is ready to help. We charge some of the most inexpensive service call fees to get your HVAC repair or replacement started. We are also excited to help our customers save money on emergency repairs, replacements and maintenance with valuable offers on our website. If you’re hoping to enjoy savings and peace of mind while enhancing efficiency and home comfort, give us a call at 330-236-4793 today!