Air Conditioning Repair: 3 Tips You Can't Do Without

You may think finding a good air conditioning repair company is as easy as pulling out the phone book. It certainly can be. You can find someone with no trouble at all. The problem lies in the fact that the phone book isn't going to tell you anything about the company's reputation for great service. It isn't going to tell you how much experience the technicians bring to the table. Put bluntly, you can't afford to have incompetent techs or shoddy service in your home. And you certainly don't want to get scammed. Here are three tips that will help you avoid such an unpleasant scenario.

Experience
If there is any one thing you should look for above all else when hiring an air conditioning repair company, it is the presence of experience. Someone who has been through all of the classes and earned their certification can't hold a candle to someone who has been working in the business for ten years. A seasoned veteran will be able to help you in so many ways that a novice simply won't. That doesn't mean that every technician and assistant in the company needs a decade's worth of experience under their belts. But it should mean that someone there has learned the ropes and paid their dues.

Local Knowledge
There are two schools of thought when it comes to finding an air conditioning repair company. One school says you should stick with national companies. They have a relatively inflexible standard of service and while you may not get the best service possible or the best price, you kind of know what you're getting. It's not a gamble, in other words. But hiring a service company doesn't have to be a gamble when you do your research. Look for a company that has been in your area for some time. The A/C requirements of Branson, Missouri aren't going to be the same as those in Miami, Florida. Look for a company that knows what you need.

Brands
Most air conditioning repair companies will make it a point to advertise the brands they carry and service. Look for your brand on these advertisements. Lacking that name doesn't mean they won't know what to do with your system, but it probably does mean that it isn't among their specialties. Now, if you have a really obscure brand, you may not find a company that advertises your system. If that's the case, simply call around and ask specifically whether or not they will be able to service it. Even if they've never heard of it, it probably isn't so different that they won't know what to do with it.