Protect your money when your AC goes out

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The heat is on which means the air conditioner is getting a workout. If your unit breaks down and you need an HVAC contractor, it matters who you hire. In 2020, the BBB of Eastern NC had about 3,000 complaints against HVAC companies. Those complaints involve warranties not being honored, faulty repairs, or hidden fees.

Before hiring anyone take the time to research the company, and read their Google and BBB reviews. Also, check to see if they are licensed to do HVAC work. You need to know, that most companies charge a service call fee just to look at your unit.

Once the issue is diagnosed, get exact details of what work will be done, if any of it is warranty work, and what type of guarantee the repair has. If parts are replaced, ask to see the old parts.

Nick Hill with the BBB also suggests, "When you're getting a quote, make sure you're getting quotes from around three different companies and make sure the quotes are as detailed as possible, you don't want to have hidden fee pop on you.

Always be very leery of repair companies who offer you a very low price to fix your unit compared to other companies. We have had many complaints from viewers, that once they paid upfront for the repair, they never saw the repair person again.