From the COVID-19 pandemic came panic, uncertainty, big government spending, lock downs AND… some good things also. An improved awareness of good hygiene, less traffic, great technology and of course innovations such as virtual services for your homes heating and cooling systems.
Command Comfort was among the first to not only realize that change was needed but to create and implement change. And born in March of 2020 was the Virtual HVAC Service Call. So what is a Virtual HVAC Service? And how does it work? In this article we will dive into that.
WHAT IS A VIRTUAL HVAC SERVICE CALL?
Let’s begin with the virtual part. We use the word virtual today much more than we did just a year ago but what is it exactly? According to dictionary.com there are 2 definitions of “virtual” that apply to this topic.
- Temporarily simulated or extended by computer software
- Existing, seen, or happening online or on a computer screen, rather than in person or in the physical world.
So basically, a virtual HVAC service call happens online, not in person. This means you would have a technician inspecting your homes heating or air conditioning equipment virtually.
You will join a meeting on a mobile device using either Zoom or FaceTime which we’ve found to be effective virtual platforms for this service over the last year.
HOW DOES A VIRTUAL HVAC SERVICE CALL WORK?
Let’s say that your central air conditioner stops working this July. Here are the following steps to take…
- INFORMATION PHONE CALL: You would start by calling our office and speaking with one of our knowledgeable office staff. You can also submit a Virtual HVAC Service request form right on our website by visiting commandcomfort.com/contact and we will call you at your convenience for the next step. During the phone call, we will do our best to understand the problem and can follow some basic easy to follow troubleshooting steps. If that does not solve the problem, we will schedule a FREE Virtual HVAC Service Call with a highly trained technician on the platform of your choice (FaceTime or Zoom). You’ll need a mobile device with a good camera and a strong stable internet connection.
- DIAGNOSIS: The technician will be prepared with the information given by you during the initial phone call and by pulling basic information about the house up on Zillow. The technician will ask you questions and ask you to do certain things such as; turn the system on, check the breaker, inspect the filter, open up the furnace or condenser cabinet. We will ONLY ask you to perform tasks that are safe and that you are physically capable of.
- FIXING THE PROBLEM:
- Often times, a fix is as simple as a flip of a switch. And we estimate that over half of the issues we are called out to repair are fixable by you, with experts guiding you along the way. If that’s the case and we can fix it virtually. Great! You’re done. No payment, no hooks. We are happy to have helped.
- Sometimes we can diagnose the issue but you’ll need a part or a trained HVAC technicians hands to actually fix. From here we would offer to have a technician come out to your home for the repair. We’ll do our best to prepare you with accurate estimates for the cost.
- If we cannot diagnose the problem. We can dispatch a technician to come out to your home and further troubleshoot on site. There is a diagnostic fee for this.
So that’s it. That is what a Virtual HVAC Service is and what’s involved. Remember from Command Comfort. Virtual HVAC Service is absolutely free! There are no commitments from you to pay for a technician on site if we can’t fix it and if we can fix it. Whoohooo! That makes us happy.