The rules behind our independent coverage
AC Repair AC publishes consumer information about AC repair in New York City. This policy explains who controls the work, how we check it, and what happens when we get something wrong.
Editorial judgment belongs to the editorial team.
We are an independent publisher, not an HVAC contractor and not a lead-generation service.
Our readers come to us when they need help evaluating a company, a repair decision, or a claim about cooling equipment. We protect that purpose by separating business operations from editorial decisions. Editors decide which providers to research, which evidence to include, what limitations to state, and where a company belongs in a ranking.
Service providers cannot purchase coverage, a favorable conclusion, a higher ranking, a “best” badge, or the removal of criticism. They cannot review or approve a story before it is published except to answer a factual question from an editor. If we ask a company for comment, its response is evidence for the editor to evaluate—not an opportunity to negotiate the result.
Our coverage is NYC-specific because the practical context matters. The right questions for a Manhattan co-op, a Brooklyn brownstone, a Queens split-level home, or a Bronx rental can be different. We describe that context, but we do not provide legal advice, guarantee contractor performance, or substitute for a qualified on-site diagnosis.
We do not accept sponsored content.
No advertiser or provider can pay for an article, a ranking position, a review, or a mention.
AC Repair AC does not publish sponsored posts, advertorials, paid “partner” profiles, paid list placement, or product copy supplied by an HVAC company. We do not create content that looks like independent reporting while serving as a provider’s marketing message. If we ever change this rule, we will revise this policy before accepting that kind of arrangement. As of this publication date, we do not accept it.
We may maintain affiliate relationships with some service providers, but those relationships do not make content sponsored. An affiliate link is clearly covered by our disclosure, and its commission structure must not influence inclusion, ranking, or wording. Commercial staff, if any, cannot direct an editor to alter a recommendation.
We check claims against the best available evidence.
We are especially careful with claims that affect eligibility, safety, consumer rights, or a company’s standing.
Our source hierarchy starts with primary sources: applicable government records, regulator guidance, official company documents, direct interviews, and firsthand reporting. For NYC home-improvement eligibility, that may include the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection’s licensing information. For refrigerant handling, we rely on EPA Section 608 guidance and evidence relevant to the company’s stated service. We use a company’s own website to understand its claims, not as final proof that those claims are true.
Next, we use reputable secondary sources and established review platforms to add context. Customer reviews can identify patterns worth reporting, but they are not treated as official findings. We look for corroboration, recency, and specificity. We avoid repeating unverified allegations as fact, and we distinguish a documented regulator action from a consumer’s individual complaint.
Before publication, the assigning editor reviews the article for accuracy, clarity, disclosure, and a fair description of evidence. A second editorial review may be used for rankings, technical explanations, or changes that could materially affect readers. We date pages and update them when a material fact changes. More detail on ranking research appears in our methodology.
Authors disclose conflicts; errors are corrected in public.
Transparency is meaningful only when a reader can see it and use it.
Authors and contributors must disclose relationships that could reasonably affect a reader’s view of their work, including financial interests, employment, consulting, gifts, or close personal relationships with a provider discussed in an article. Editors decide whether the relationship can be disclosed and managed or whether the writer must be reassigned. A contributor may not write a recommendation about their own business or a direct competitor.
Anyone can report a potential error by writing to editor@acrepair.ac. We aim to acknowledge a correction submission within 48 hours, investigate the claim, and correct verified factual mistakes promptly. Substantive corrections are added to the public log with the date, the page, what was wrong, and what changed. Read the complete process on our corrections page.
Questions about this policy belong with the editor, not a sales desk: editor@acrepair.ac. Our contact page lists separate addresses for tips, press inquiries, and corrections.