Why Are Aircon Repairs so Expensive?

There will come a time when you have to do aircon repairs to your heating and cooling system, if you have one installed.

Contrary to popular belief, air conditioners do have a lifespan. They are appliances, and appliances can fail.

Air Conditioning Repair Costs Explained

Currency

South Africa imports air conditioning units. Prices of these units and their parts are therefore subject to the Rand/Dollar exchange rate. You will pay more for your unit and parts if the Rand is weak.

Brand

The brand of the air conditioning unit installed in your home will also affect your cost on the replacement parts. Speak to our knowledgeable project managers to find out which products will be more cost-effective in the long run. Be careful of being penny wise and pound foolish.

Company

Consider buying your aircon unit from a reputable air conditioning company. These companies can offer you a guarantee upon the purchase of your unit. Make sure that they offer a guarantee on the installation, as well as the unit.

Call-out Fee

A call-out fee is a permissible cost, charged by the company, to cover expenses incurred to assess your aircon repairs. After the first year in operation, a company will introduce this cost. During the first year, a credible air conditioning company will waive this cost, as it forms part of their installation guarantee.  The fee is usually charged per hour and covers costs such as salaries for the qualified technicians performing the repairs, as well as vehicle running costs, fuel and Health and Safety.  When the guarantee on the parts, fall away, these too become chargeable. Where once you only had to pay a call-out fee, you have to now also make provision to replace that part. This is when air conditioning repairs become more expensive.

Guarantee

Branded air conditioner suppliers, like Daikin, Samsung, LG, Toshiba, Midea, Mitsubishi and York, all offer a guarantee on the parts of their air conditioners. These guarantees can vary from 3- to 10 years, depending on the unit you purchase. Should your unit still be under guarantee, the parts required for the aircon repairs might not cost you a cent. This depends on whether or not the company you’ve contacted, charge a call-out fee and if they offer an installation guarantee for the first year. They will replace certain parts of your unit, free of charge during this time. The air conditioning company replacing the part, may charge a fee.

Replacement

Sometimes repairing an old air conditioning unit is not a viable option. The cost involved in replacing the part and the operational outlook of the unit just doesn’t add up. We would then recommend the replacement of the unit. With the replacement, comes a new guarantee which will buy you a couple of years and some restful sleep. Refer to our blog Is It Time To Replace My Aircon? to gain a better understanding of when your unit needs replacement.

We have been in the air conditioning industry for 38 years and we understand the costs affiliated in running this type of business. There are many departments, and finding staff that are qualified and who have the expertise to perform their tasks effectively, is not easy. And keeping them is expensive. It is, therefore, necessary to charge for services rendered, to keep providing the best service.

Contact Airfreeze to arrange for a technician to come out and assess your aircon repairs. You can rest assured, with their knowledge and expertise, they will have your air conditioner up and running in record time.