Being able to rely on a good air conditioning service company in Mansfield, TX is probably one of the best ways to deal with unexpected problems that you may experience with your air conditioner at home or in your business. But, aside from being able to help you in a pinch, there are many other benefits that you can expect to receive from an air conditioning service in Mansfield, TX. In this article we will touch on some of these benefits, and then we will move on to finding the best air conditioning service in Mansfield, TX, as well as letting you know what you should look for in an AC company, potential red flags, and how you can make your final decision before making the mistake of hiring the first name that comes up in an online search, which can result in costly repairs and wasted time. Let’s get started.
Benefits of Having a Good AC Company
Before we go any further, you should know that while the number of benefits of having a good air conditioning service company for your home in Mansfield, TX, we are going to visit only the most important ones. This is because some of the most important benefits depend on a personal perception and may not be applicable across the board, but the following ones are the most often cited by homeowners like you.
1. Improve the quality of the air circulating in your home.
One of the greatest features of an air conditioner is that it helps purify the air that flows into your home from the outside, leading to a healthier life for you and your family. A good air conditioning service can help maintain or improve the quality of the air by performing repair and maintenance services that ensure your air conditioner is always working safely and efficiently. An air conditioning service can also remove any debris, dirt, or contaminants from your HVAC system that can lower the purity and quality of the air within your home.
2. Increase your unit’s efficiency.
A well-maintained air conditioner will always require less power to run and will cool the air circulating in your home more efficiently. Being able to count on a good air conditioning service company to provide regular maintenance to your Mansfield, TX home’s AC unit will ensure that your home is cooled efficiently and effectively without affecting your monthly power bill. This, in and of itself, is possibly one of the best reasons to find a good air conditioning service company to schedule a periodic maintenance program that will help you save money over the long term.
3. Provide a more comfortable environment for your family.
Having a well-maintained air conditioner in your home ensures your family’s comfort, even during the severe heat of the summer. During the hottest months of the year, temperatures in Mansfield, TX hover very close to 100 degrees. Being exposed to this type of heat can damage the health of young children, the infirm, or the elderly, in some cases carrying a risk of death. Extreme heat can also worsen chronic respiratory conditions and cause dehydration and heat stroke. With this in mind, it’s easy to assume that you want your air conditioner to make your home cool and comfortable for your family and its most vulnerable members, including your pets. Being able to rely on a reputable air conditioning service company to keep your AC unit running at its most efficient performance will guarantee your family will remain healthy and safe when the temperature outside becomes excessively hot.
4. Save money on costly emergency repairs.
Keeping your air conditioner in an optimal working condition will help you save money in more than one way. Aside from lowering your power bill and cooling your air more efficiently, a properly serviced air conditioner will prevent any unexpected breakdowns in the future. When your air conditioner is not regularly serviced, you might end up with severe damage or an emergency situation that could be more expensive to repair, and, in some cases, could be so bad that it might require the complete replacement of your unit. With this in mind, it is always best to invest some money into the regular maintenance of your air conditioner to prevent any expensive problems down the line.
5. Increase the lifespan of your unit.
Nowadays, air conditioners are built to last around 8 to 15 years but replacing them will always be a big expense, no matter how old they are. In order to extend your air conditioner’s life span beyond what is expected, you should always work out a solid maintenance schedule with a reputable air conditioning service that will ensure any potential problems are taken care of before they become a danger to your system. Just as you would with your car, your air conditioner requires maintenance to run at its best. This helps prevent excessive wear and tear that happens as a result of letting small issues fester until they become large problems you really don’t need.
Finding the Best AC Contractor
Even though many people think that picking the first name that comes up on an online search for a good air conditioning service company is the best way to go about finding the best contractor for the job. The sad reality is that this is not always true, and even though there are many reputable companies out there, they may stumble on one that has a less than pristine reputation. So, where should you start looking, and what exactly should you look for? We have the answers below.
Step 1: Ask your friends and family
One of the best ways to find a great air conditioning service is to ask people you trust about the contractor they use. The principle behind doing this is that if someone you already trust places their own trust in somebody, you can logically trust them too. Additionally, because of the established relationship you have with these people they will be very happy to tell you all about their experience with a certain contractor, so you will even be able to find out if they made a mess or cleaned up the work area and whether they caused any unexpected damage to their home during the course of the repairs. This should always be your first option, but sometimes it isn’t feasible, in which case you should follow the steps below.
Step 2: Search online and select 3 or 4 contractors
Before making a decision, you should run a quick online search for air conditioning service companies in your area. The long list of results should help you choose 3 or 4 different options that fit your requirements. Make sure you interview each one of them to request a quote and check their credentials to ensure they are above board and properly certified.
Step 3: Don’t forget to read online reviews
One of the great things about being able to search for contractors online is the ability to visualize the type of experience other homeowners have had with a certain company. Consider the company’s star rating and the reviews written by their previous customers. Positive reviews will help you understand a certain contractor’s strong points, and bad reviews can give you a good idea of how effective their customer service can be, as well as how willing they are to solve any issues with their customers, ensuring their ultimate satisfaction. Keep in mind that having many positive reviews isn’t the only thing you should consider, but having a lot of bad reviews is definitely a red flag you should shy away from.
Step 4: Verify a contractor’s credentials
In many states, including Texas, HVAC contractors require a license issued by the state in order to be able to work in their field. When you interview different contractors, always ask to see their license to verify that it is current. An expired or nonexistent license should also ring an alarm bell as to how reputable an air conditioning service company will be. Another thing to ask the contractor is for proof of general liability insurance. It is to be understood that accidents can happen unexpectedly, so, a reputable contractor should always be able to show proof of insurance that will cover any possible damage to your home during the course of the work on your air conditioner. Not carrying any insurance is also another red flag that should make you look elsewhere for a more professional company.
Step 5: Get several detailed quotes in writing
Now that you have selected 3 or 4 potential candidates and verified their credentials, you should ask for detailed quotes in writing. This will help you verify what exactly is included in the price. Ask the air conditioning service contractor any questions that may come up and make sure that the quote includes everything that will be needed to get the job done. Beware of contractors who refuse to provide detailed quotes or don’t include everything in the final amount because you could end up paying much more than you expected.
Step 6: Always ask for references
One of the most important ways in which you can get an actual idea of how well an air conditioning service company performs is by talking to other homeowners who have used their services in the past. So, make sure you ask the contractor for references. A reputable company will be happy to provide them. Make sure you give them a call and ask about the job the company performed for them and how happy they were with their overall service. Again, beware of any company that doesn’t provide references or provides references that are fake. Their reputation will probably be less than good, so, if you happen to run into this situation, look for somebody else.
Step 7: Discuss payment with the contractor
In many cases an air conditioning service company will require a down payment on the work they will perform, but sometimes, when the job isn’t too large, it may not be necessary. Always make sure you discuss payment with the contractor before making your final decision about hiring them. Verify whether you will be required to provide a down payment or whether you can pay in full when the job has been finished. Ask about any additional costs that weren’t included in the cost estimate, and talk about the parts that will be used, the brand, quality, and whether the contractor carries them as part of their product line, or they will have to be purchased from a third party. Inquire about any warranties on parts and labor and get them in writing. This will give you the peace of mind you will need in case anything happens after the job is done.
Step 8: Ask about clean up
In some cases, air conditioner repair work can be messy. Ask whether clean up is included in the price you’ve been quoted or you will be left to clean it up on your own. This is an important part of finding the right company for your particular situation because you may not want to deal with cleaning somebody else’s mess. If the services that will be performed include changing the coolant in your unit, ask if the company is trained and licensed to collect and dispose of the liquid according to EPA standards.
Now that you have covered all of the most important parts of finding the perfect air conditioning service company, it’s time to sit back and let them do their job. If you live in the Mansfield, TX area, Minuteman Heating & Air offers everything you require of a reputable company and much more. We are proud of our pristine reputation and are always happy to help you create a comfortable environment for your home. As the foremost air conditioning service in the area, whenever you need help with your air conditioner, we invite you to give us a call for some of the most efficient work in town!