When looking for a heating and cooling contractor, you may have stumbled across the term “service call fee.” Also named a “trip charge,” this fee is the cost an HVAC company bills for sending a technician to your home when your furnace or cooling seems to be working poorly.
Why Do HVAC Companies Use a Service Call Fee?
A service call fee covers the cost of traveling to your home. After all, this takes time, requires fuel, and increases wear and tear on the company vehicle. Remember that service call fees don’t typically include 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 further outside the normal service radius. The particular cost varies by market and company, but you should expect an average trip charge to be around $79 to $129.
Who Covers the Service Call Fee?
If you schedule a service call, you will need to pay the trip charge regardless of what step you take later. For instance, you might opt to accept the technician’s recommended repair or replacement, depending on which method is more cost effective.
You are free to compile varied job estimates from different HVAC companies—just don’t forget that you can end up paying a trip charge for all these visits. Even if you take no action after the initial service call, you will still owe the technician a fee for coming to your home and completing diagnostics.
How Can I Steer Clear of Paying a Service Call Fee?
An easy 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 malfunctioning, or you’re interested in an affordable HVAC maintenance plan, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning is willing 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 willing 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 enhancing efficiency and home comfort, give us a call at 305-440-1505 today!