When hunting for a heating and cooling contractor, you may have run 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 heater or air conditioner starts working poorly.
Why Do HVAC Companies Charge a Service Call Fee?
A service call fee recoups the cost of traveling to your home. After all, this takes time, uses fuel, and adds wear and tear on the company vehicle. Don’t forget that service call fees don’t usually cover parts and labor if you choose to go with a repair or replacement.
How Expensive is a Service Call Fee?
Every HVAC company determines how much to charge for a service call. Some companies use a standard or flat rate for every service call, while others increase the rate if the customer is located outside the usual service radius. The specific cost changes with market and company, but you could expect an average trip charge to be around $79 to $129.
Who Pays the Service Call Fee?
If you schedule a service call, you will need to pay the trip charge regardless of what step you take next. For example, you can decide to proceed with the technician’s recommended repair or replacement, depending on which option is more cost effective.
You are welcome to compile several job estimates from trusted HVAC companies—just be aware that you can 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 contractor a fee for coming to your home and completing diagnostics.
How Can I Steer Clear of Paying a Service Call Fee?
A smart way to minimize trip charges is to purchase an HVAC membership from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. All four of our memberships come with a waived service call fee, meaning we’ll come to your home and evaluate your HVAC system for free.
Other money-saving benefits of an HVAC maintenance membership include:
- 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 looking into an affordable HVAC maintenance plan, Comfort Masters Service Experts is ready to help. We charge some of the lowest service call fees to get your HVAC repair or replacement off to a good start. We are also happy to help our customers save money on emergency repairs, replacements and maintenance with valuable offers on our website. If you’re ready to enjoy savings and peace of mind while enhancing efficiency and home comfort, give us a call at 847-250-6729 today!