On
Tuesday, the NBC morning TV news show "Today" aired the results of an undercover investigation
on air-conditioning contractors.
The NBC “Today Show” segment this
week on dishonest air-conditioning contractors has the ACCA reminding homeowners
about the importance of finding qualified HVAC companies.
On Tuesday, the morning TV news
show aired the results of an undercover investigation on air-conditioning
contractors. With a hidden camera recording them, six contractors visited a New
Jersey home to fix an air-conditioning problem. Producers said they designed
the problem to be an easy, inexpensive fix. But if the companies misled the
homeowners about the situation or tried to sell them expensive, unnecessary
equipment, a reporter confronted the service technicians.
All of the contractors wanted
to perform work that was unnecessary, according to Robert
C. Ring, the president of New Jersey HVAC
business Meyer & Depew Co., who served as the show’s consultant for
the segment.
Ring is a member of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America’s board of
directors.
“I
was very disappointed by those contractors who did not seem to be doing the
right thing,” Ring said. “Overall I think this segment was an important
reminder to homeowners that they need to do their homework before they call a
contractor. But I also believe it is important to remember that upgrade options
are sometimes about improving comfort, lowering energy bills, or solving a
long-term problem, not just about increasing the size of the bill.”
The
ACCA recommends homeowners ensure the HVAC company they are hiring uses
certified, licensed technicians, and ask neighbors who they use to fix their
system.
“When
choosing a contractor, it should not be about which company buys the most
prominent search engine link, or has the flashiest website, or has the biggest
Yellow Page ad,” said Paul T. Stalknecht, the ACCA’s president and chief
executive. “While there are thousands of professional contractors who do
outstanding service and care about their customers first, it is the homeowner’s
responsibility to find them, and that takes a little work.”
Video of the “Today Show” investigation is availablehere .
