With hot weather upon us already, air conditioners are working overtime and some will break down, leaving homeowners in need of quick relief.
But don’t let soaring temperatures keep you from doing your homework on air conditioning repairs, Attorney General Roy Cooper urges North Carolina homeowners.
“Keep your cool if you need your air conditioner repaired in the middle of a heat wave,” Cooper said. “You want your AC fixed fast, but you also want it done right and at a fair price.”
Each year, dozens of consumers contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division to complain about problems with air conditioning and heating repairs. To avoid problems with HVAC repairs:
Get recommendations. Ask friends, neighbors and co-workers who they use for repairs.
Check credentials. Contact the Consumer Protection Division at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM and your local Better Business Bureau to learn about the company’s complaint history. To see if the repair person is properly licensed, contact the State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors at 919-875-3612.
Get a written contract. Read it carefully before you sign it and make sure it includes all promises made orally. Remember that state law gives you three business days to cancel if you sign a home repair contract at your home rather than at the company’s place of business.
Don’t pay upfront, don’t pay until you’re satisfied, and pay by check or credit card — not cash — if possible.
