There’s no denying the importance of your home’s HVAC system, which includes invaluable appliances like your air conditioner, furnace, water heater, vents, and so much more.
In the Denver metro area, HVAC services have blown up in popularity throughout recent years—and this unfortunately has led to an increase in industry tricks and scams.
It’s crucial for property owners to be well aware of the most common HVAC scams that have plagued people all throughout the Front Range, and below are some of the HVAC denver co scams that you should be on the lookout for!
Oversized Heating & AC Units
It’s important for homeowners to realize that bigger isn’t always better when it comes to residential HVAC systems. It’s a common scam for contractors to encourage you into purchasing a larger unit because they’re more expensive to buy and install, but these investments won’t consider the overall size of your home.
Oversized units will also require more routine maintenance and repairs, which contractors can quickly cash in on. This is why homeowners should always ask for accurate HVAC calculations oriented around their specific property requirements!
Bait & Switch HVAC Schemes
Denver’s thriving economy brings “HVAC contractors” from all over the country, and this unfortunately leads to some pretty outrageous scams. There are many fly-by-night HVAC companies throughout the Front Range that offer extremely low prices, only to then charge you far more than their advertized prices once they show up at your property.
This is why it’s typically best to work with HVAC companies that have marked service vans and vehicles, because this is a good indication that they’ve been in business for a while and take pride in their branding.
You should also be cautious of things like hard pressure sales when you unfortunately come across a bait-and-switch contractor, and these scams also frequently apply to air duct cleaning services as well.
Cold Call HVAC Tune-Up Solicitations
We’ve all received calls from HVAC companies trying to solicit one type of service or another, and these typically come in the form of tune-up specials that are only available for a limited time offer.
Although it’s not always so terrible to receive these calls, you should do thorough company research before agreeing to any appointments. It’s common for these calls to come from fraudsters who are trying to prey on elderly folks and people who aren’t Web-savvy.
These scammers are simply trying to get their foot in your door, and they’ll try to rip you off for hundreds, if not thousands!
Furnace Scam, Or HVAC Sales Tactic?
In Denver, a lot of homeowners experience furnace issues during the harsh winter seasons. This is why plenty of HVAC companies will conduct telemarketing scams that are then followed up with high-pressure sales tactics.
You can think of this fraud as the cracked heat exchanger scam, and it’s often better to get a second opinion when technicians tell you that your heat exchanger has cracked and needs immediate repairs.
Don’t conduct any of these HVAC repairs without visible proof, and know that you’re being lied to when they can’t provide this type of proof. The best way to avoid this HVAC scam is to simply not be afraid to ask for proof, and then double-check this proof on your own before making any investment decisions!
AC Repair Scams
“I’m sorry, Ma’am. But you need a new AC unit.”
HVAC businesses in Denver are constantly on the move helping property owners with failing AC systems during the summer months, and this means that there are inevitably going to be some technicians and companies out there that want to take advantage of you and your desperation for indoor comfort.
If a technician tells you that something like your compressor is damaged or broken, you should receive firsthand proof of these malfunctions. This can be through things like electrical tests or camera inspections.
And just remember that you have options. When a technician is only giving you one option, then you can tell that something is fishy…
“You Only Need A Quick Recharge”
Refrigerant costs have skyrocketed in recent years, and this quick recharge sales tactic is an easy way for shady HVAC technicians to separate homeowners from their money. It might depend on your specific system, but there are specific formulas to help you recognize when your system needs to actually be recharged.
This is why it’s important to ask for refrigerant level reports before every recharge. You’ll also want to keep track of how much and what type of coolant is put into your system.
Contact Apex Clean Air When You Need A Reputable HVAC Company In Denver CO!
There’s a lot that homeowners throughout the Denver CO area need to consider when they’re in the process of hiring a local HVAC company, and simply being cognizant of common industry scams can go a long way to protect you and your finances.
But the good news is that Denver is full of really great HVAC service providers that won’t scam you in any way, and one of the go-to HVAC teams in the Front Range is Apex Clean Air.
You can speak directly with the Apex experts when you click on the link at the top of this page and go to their website!
