When your heater is down and your home is starting to get uncomfortable, you might feel a little desperate to get a heater repaired as quickly as possible. It’s understandable that you need a team that works quickly, but you also need a long-lasting, authentic repair. Unfortunately, shady heater companies will try to take advantage of you in your moment of vulnerability.
Champion AC & Plumbing is dedicated to quality workmanship and honest customer service. We never sell you something you don’t need and we go above and beyond to make sure your entire heater repair is stress-free and effective. When you’re looking for a heater repair company in Austin, watch out for these common scams that technicians might try to pull on you. Call Champion AC & Plumbing for a second opinion if you want your heater repair done right.
The Bait & Switch
If you see an advertisement or offer from a heating company promising extremely low or even free heater repairs, be cautious. Some companies offer almost unbelievable heater repair deals to get their technician into your home. Once they’re there, the technicians are trained to create problems in your heater that you must then pay to fix. Dishonesty and service gouging is sadly common for some companies.
Fear Tactics
Another perfect example of shady service is the fear tactic or ‘high-pressure sale’. If a technician is urging you to pay for a repair because your life is being threatened by your heater, you should stay on your guard. Reputable technicians should never try to scare you into a sale — and there aren’t actually very many repairs that are life-threatening once the unit is shut down.
The most common repairs that inspire fear are a cracked heat exchanger or a deadly carbon monoxide leak. Ask the technician to show you evidence of the danger to your life. If the technician keeps pushing you to sign the agreement or tries to lower the price for your ‘life-threatening’ repair, you need a second opinion.
Your Heat Exchanger Is Cracked
As mentioned above, this heater repair is taken advantage of often by scammers. Most likely, shady technicians know how serious a real cracked heat exchanger is, and they know they can prey on people who don’t know the details of the repair. A cracked heat exchanger is a relatively rare repair. If a technician claims your heat exchanger is cracked, demand to see the crack yourself. If you’re not satisfied with the proof or you don’t trust the technician, get a second opinion.
Extensive Duct Cleaning
Your air ducts run a long way throughout your home, so you can imagine how expensive a duct cleaning can get — especially an unnecessary one. One or two dirty filters or registers do not require a full duct cleaning, but some technicians will try to convince you it does. Only agree to a duct cleaning if you have one of these kinds of duct situations:
- Nesting animals or insects
- Visible mold
- Foul odors
- Recent home renovation
- Severe, unexplained indoor allergies (in some cases)
Work With The Team Austin Trusts
We don’t want to see you scammed by some technician that doesn’t care about your home. If you’re ever suspicious of a heater repair quote, contact Champion AC & Plumbing for a second opinion. Better yet, call Champion AC & Plumbing first, and we’ll give you the kind of service you deserve! Contact us today!