When looking for a heating and cooling contractor, you may have run across the term “service call fee.” Also known as a “trip charge,” this fee is the expense an HVAC company bills for sending a technician to your home when your furnace or air conditioner begins acting up.
Why Do HVAC Companies Have a Service Call Fee?
A service call fee recoups the cost of traveling to your home. After all, this takes time, consumes fuel, and accumulates wear and tear on the company vehicle. Be aware that service call fees don’t usually 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 contractors utilize a standard or flat rate for every service call, while others increase the cost if the home is located outside the normal service radius. The exact cost varies by market and company, but you could expect a typical trip charge to be between $79 to $129.
Who is Responsible for the Service Call Fee?
If you request a service call, you will need to settle the trip charge regardless of what step you take next. For example, you may prefer to move forward with the technician’s recommended repair or replacement, depending on which method is more cost effective.
You are welcome to request multiple job estimates from different HVAC companies—just be aware that you could end up paying a trip charge for each one. 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 carrying out diagnostics.
How Can I Skip Paying a Service Call Fee?
A simple way to avoid trip charges is to purchase an HVAC membership from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. All four of our memberships include a waived service call fee, meaning we’ll come to your home and evaluate your HVAC system for free.
More money-saving benefits of an HVAC maintenance membership are:
- No overtime charges
- 15% savings on repairs
- 15% savings on indoor air quality products
- And much more
If your furnace or air conditioner is working poorly, or you’re open to an affordable HVAC maintenance plan, Knochelmann Service Experts is ready to help. We charge some of the lowest service call fees to get your HVAC repair or replacement started. We are also excited 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 859-905-0834 today!