What is a Service Call Fee and How Does it Influence Me?
When looking for a heating and cooling contractor, you may have seen the term “service call fee.” Also known as a “trip charge,” this fee is the amount an HVAC company charges for sending a technician to your home when your heater or AC unit begins working poorly.
Why Do HVAC Companies Use a Service Call Fee?
A service call fee recoups the cost of traveling to your home. After all, this takes time, uses fuel, and causes wear and tear on the company vehicle. Don’t forget that service call fees don’t generally cover 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 technicians use a standard or flat rate for any service call, while others raise the price if the customer is somewhere outside the usual service radius. The exact cost differs by market and company, but you can expect an average trip charge to be around $79 to $129.
Who is Responsible for the Service Call Fee?
If you arrange a service call, you will need to pay the trip charge regardless of what step you take later. For starters, you can decide to proceed with the technician’s recommended repair or replacement, depending on which method is more cost effective.
You are free to compile several job estimates from trusted HVAC companies—just keep in mind that you might end up paying a trip charge for every one. Even if you take no action after the first service call, you will still owe the HVAC company a fee for coming to your home and performing diagnostics.
How Can I Skip Paying a Service Call Fee?
An easy way to reduce trip charges is to participate in an HVAC membership from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. All four of our memberships come with a waived service call fee, and so we’ll come to your home and evaluate your HVAC system for free.
Additional money-saving benefits of an HVAC maintenance membership consist of:
- No overtime charges
- 15% savings on repairs with the Maintenance+ Plan
- 15% savings on indoor air quality products with the Maintenance+ Plan
- And much more
If your furnace or air conditioner is acting up, or you’re interested in an affordable HVAC maintenance plan, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning is happy to help. We charge some of the most inexpensive service call fees to get your HVAC repair or replacement going the right way. 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 looking to enjoy savings and peace of mind while boosting efficiency and home comfort, give us a call at 540-302-8645 today!
