In most parts of the country, hot weather is in full swing. It’s prime time for air conditioners to take center stage in our thoughts. Is my unit working as well as it should? Does it need a tune-up? More refrigerant? An air conditioning scam can run the gamut from a free inspection that uncovers a problem to a warning about black mold. Here are three tips to avoid some common an air conditioning scam.
Air conditioning scam tip #1
If you receive a call from an unknown contractor offering a free inspection, turn them down. The telemarketing call is a tactic used by unscrupulous contractors to gain access to your home. In addition to a telephone call, these contractors may simply show up at your door claiming that they’re working in your neighborhood.
Air conditioning scam tip #2
Unscrupulous contractors often offer to do work at super-low prices. The too-good-to-be-true price will involve replacement or repair of expensive equipment. The contractor may claim he’s discovered a broken part. Some even claim they’ve found toxic mold that must be removed. The price given will most likely only be good for a short period of time, making it impossible to get a second opinion. It’s better to pass on that price and get a second opinion. While you may lose out on a good deal, it’s more likely you’ll avoid being scammed.
The most common scam we see is the homeowner being told he or she needs a replacement when it is something relatively inexpensive…
Air conditioning scam #3
Avoid overpaying for services. In an article about HVAC scams in The Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration NEWS, Saundra Jones, president of Alpine Air Inc. discussed scams she sees in Jacksonville, FL. “The most common scam we see is the homeowner being told he or she needs a replacement when it is something relatively inexpensive and an easy fix,” Jones said. “In most of these cases, it could be as simple as a capacitor, and the homeowner is convinced the repair is expensive, and it is better for them to just replace the system.”
The common thread in all of these tips is to get a second opinion and check out the contractor you’re considering.
I’ve been looking for a good home air conditioning inspection. I’m glad you talked about how you should avoid a cold called free inspection. I’m going to have to look for a good home air conditioning and see what we can find!
All these points are entirely true. Most of us are scammed while buying an air conditioner because we don’t know much about it. I guess consulting an HVAC professional is the best thing to do before buying an A/C.
Thanks for the comment, Steve. Just remember to choose a scrupulous HVAC professional 🙂
Great Post.. didn’t know there was people out there doing this kinda thing. Would you say it can hurt those companies that are legit? I know one thing I look for when contacting any type of contractor is to make sure they have a website. I won’t even bother if they don’t have one. I’l definitely be more aware now and let my family members know as well.
Thanks for your comment, John. I don’t know if this hurts the legitimate companies, but it certainly hurts the consumer. There may be some lost business for the good guys. I just hope it’s not much.
Can’t believe there is actually people like this out there. Truly unprofessional if you ask me. Thanks for the heads up.
What’s really sad, Tyler, is there are so many of them in different home-improvement trades. It’s really a shame how people get taken in.
Great tips. The sharks are out there folks. Always keep your guard up. We appreciate you making others aware!
Hello, I have recently been getting calls like the ones you have been describing. They keep offering air conditioners for unbelievable prices but I have been skeptical. I think your tips will really help me buy from someone that is legit. Thank you for sharing.
Holy cow! I think I’ve had something like this happen to me before! I think I do recall a time when some company called up informing us that they need to do an inspection on our AC unit outside. We turned them down of course, but I honestly didn’t really think anything about it. Next time that happens I’ll totally call them out on it. Thanks for the really informative post!