5 Tips for Choosing a Fort Lauderdale AC Repair Specialist

It’s time to find a Fort Lauderdale AC repair specialist, but you’re not sure where to start. It’s an important decision as you need quality work at a fair price. Use our five tips for choosing the best Florida air conditioning technician and installer.

Ask Friends and Family Members for Recommendations

Have you asked your close friends and family members for recommendations? This is a good place to start as you know their home and their preferences when it comes to HVAC repairs and service.

Find out who they use and ask what they liked and didn’t like. If you find friends recommending the same company, put that company at the top of your list.

Because you’re talking to friends and family members, you should ask if you can see the work up close when they’re free. Look at the quality and make sure you’re completely satisfied with the cooling the system offers and the placement of inside and outside components.

If they happen to be All Year Cooling customers, they can get cash for referring you. Plus, you’ll be eligible for the same offer. Each friend or family member who hires All Year Cooling for a new installation puts $50 cash in your hands. All Year Cooling thanks customers with both superb service and free entry into the Cool Cash Rewards Club to encourage you to spread the word.

Make Sure They Offer Contact Methods That Work For You

Some people dislike email, text, or online chat as a main form of communication. Others hate making phone calls. There’s no right or wrong way, but your comfort level matters. Where do you sit on this spectrum?

If you prefer a phone call, make sure the company monitors phone lines and quickly answers or has an answering service. If you’re happier using email, chat, or text, verify that the company responds quickly this way.

Some companies claim to offer contact via email or text, but days go by and they still haven’t responded. Or, you get a company that responds to your email directing you to call. It makes you wonder why the option is even given. It’s frustrating and can impact your feelings about a company. That’s why it’s important to be direct and tell a company that you prefer contact via phone/email/text/chat.

When you’re more comfortable using one method, but the technician prefers to use the opposite, it can make for a less-than-pleasing experience. A good Fort Lauderdale AC repair and installation specialist is going to do what makes you happiest and is comfortable with every option.

Read Online Reviews

Online reviews help you get a picture of what companies do well and where there is room for improvement. When reading the reviews you find, you have to use a little investigative skill as fake or mistaken reviews exist. It could be a competitor trying to make themselves look better, and other times, it could be a consumer who reviews the wrong company in error.

Check the positive reviews to look for signs that the customer actually had work done by the AC repair company, such as photos or clear details like manufacturer names or technician names. Specifically, look for people who have a home with a similar layout or square footage.

Then, go to the negative reviews and see how the company handles the negative feedback. You want a company that isn’t embarrassed to admit they’ve made a mistake and do everything in its power to provide exceptional customer service.

Google is one source for reviews. You’ll also find them on sites like the Better Business Bureau, Yelp, and Facebook.

Ask About Prices

Unless you have a lot of disposable income, hourly rates have to weigh in your final decision. Are free estimates offered or not? Will you be charged a flat fee for an air conditioning technician to drive out to your house?

Find out what the hourly rate includes or if there are fixed prices for things like duct cleanings or filter replacements. Once you know more about the rates, find out if anything is added for free. For example, All Year Cooling includes a free AC system evaluation with every service call. That three-point evaluation involves an inspection of:

• AC Unit – Is it cooling your home properly?
• Air Handler – Is the air handler (fan coil unit) circulating air or are fans having problems blowing and drawing the air through the ducts?
• Ducts – Is the ductwork experiencing leaks, gaps in the insulation, or showing signs of damage?

In addition to the prices, you want to work with an air conditioning repair and installation company that knows all of the latest rebates and tax incentives. The federal government offers tax incentives that help you get hundreds back when you file your yearly taxes. ENERGY STAR air conditioning systems with a SEER2 rating of 16 or greater are required if you plan to claim the federal tax incentive of up to $600 or 30%, whichever is less.

Florida electricity companies often have AC rebates available if you replace your older system with an energy-efficient AC system. You can save a lot of cash on a professional installation and gain the benefit of having lower electricity bills.

Fort Lauderdale residents who are on FPL enjoy a $150 instant rebate on a new air conditioning unit. To qualify, the system must have new indoor and outdoor units and meet the 16 SEER or 15.2 SEER2 rating. It has to be installed through a Participating Independent Contractor.

If your home’s insulation is older, there’s a $220 instant rebate on attic insulation if you work with a Participating Independent Contractor. Your home’s current insulation value must currently be lower than R-8. You can claim this rebate every 20 years.

There’s one other way to save. If it’s time for a new central AC system, shop in the off-season. All Year Cooling has an End of Season sale with savings of up to 15% on a new AC system. You also get a 10-year parts and labor warranty included with your new system.

Look at Experience

Experience is the most important aspect to consider when hiring a Fort Lauderdale AC repair specialist. Technology is ever-changing. AC systems from ten years ago are less efficient than today’s systems. Plus, you have advancing technology like solar, wind, and geothermal energy that can help drive down costs. When you choose an AC repair and installation company, you need a company that keeps up with these changes and is an expert in the field.

All Year Cooling is a family-owned and operated air conditioning repair, maintenance, and installation company with 50 years of experience and well over 200,000 installations. Our licensed and insured AC technicians receive hands-on training and maintain their skills through advanced training in new technology. Schedule AC repairs online or over the phone.