The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance wants to help consumers avoid getting scammed by offering tips on how to navigate air conditioning repair.

TDCI Consumer Affairs Director Cynthia Wiel said following the manufacturer's recommended maintenance instructions for your air conditioner can help you avoid costly after-hours emergency repair. If repairs are necessary, they encourage Tennesseans to research and find a technician or company with a solid reputation.

TDCI offers the following tips to help consumers avoid air-conditioning repair scams:

• Check your air-conditioner's warranty, model system, and maintenance history before authorizing any repairs.
• Always ask for written estimates and statements.
• Do not accept quotes for repairs of new units over the phone without first being shown the problem by the technician.
• Beware of ads with quoted prices and offers that seem too cheap or too good to be true.
• Get multiple quotes.
• Be wary if you're told several components need to be replaced at once. In many cases, multiple parts aren't functioning because only one part is broken.
• Closely supervise the repair process to ensure your technician isn't charging you for something they didn't do.
• Be on guard if you are told that refrigerant should be added to the air unit every spring. This could be a scam. Any reputable contractor will detect a leak through a pressure test or dye, and will repair the leak. An air conditioning system should never leak refrigerant regularly.