When searching for a reliable contractor, you may have stumbled across the term “service call fee.” Also named a “trip charge,” this fee is the expense an HVAC company charges for sending a technician to your home when your furnace or cooling begins malfunctioning.
Why Do HVAC Companies Charge a Service Call Fee?
A service call fee includes the cost of traveling to your home. After all, this takes time, uses fuel, and results in wear and tear on the company vehicle. Remember that service call fees don’t generally include parts and labor if you decide on a repair or replacement.
How Costly is a Service Call Fee?
Every HVAC company decides how much to charge for a service call. Some companies offer a standard or flat rate for any service call, while others increase the rate if the home is somewhere outside the usual service radius. The exact cost varies by market and company, but you can expect your usual trip charge to be around $79 to $129.
Who Covers the Service Call Fee?
If you arrange a service call, you will need to settle the trip charge regardless of what step you take after. For instance, you may prefer to move forward with the technician’s recommended repair or replacement, depending on which option is more cost effective.
You are encouraged to find several job estimates from various HVAC companies—just remember that you may 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 performing diagnostics.
How Can I Avoid Paying a Service Call Fee?
A good way to avoid trip charges is to participate 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 inspect your HVAC system for free.
Other money-saving benefits of an HVAC maintenance membership consist of:
- 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 interested in an affordable HVAC maintenance plan, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning is willing to help. We charge some of the lowest 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 hoping to enjoy savings and peace of mind while enhancing efficiency and home comfort, give us a call at 440-252-1375 today!