One of the most frequently asked questions we get is: Is it worth it to have maintenance done on my furnace and air conditioner?
The answer is YES. Here’s why:
Either your furnace or air conditioner is running just about every day of the year. Sure, we’ll have a few days in the spring and fall in which it’s pleasant enough to turn the HVAC system off and open the windows, but for the most part, the furnace or air conditioner is running. Any piece of equipment that constantly runs is going to need cleaned and tuned up. Think of your car, for example. How well would it run if you never changed the oil, never rotated the tires or never had the 30,000, 50,000 or 75,000 mile tune-up? Same holds true for your furnace and air conditioner. While it may run without ever being cleaned or tuned, it will also have to work harder and it may not run as efficiently as it could.
There are some repairs that can be prevented with regular maintenance. While completing maintenance on the air conditioner, for example, the technician may see that the capacitor is swollen. The capacitor could then be replaced at that time. This would prevent a later service call charge as well as the inconvenience of being without air conditioning and having to be home for the repair to be made. With a furnace, you might encounter a dirty flame sensor. Flame sensors are cleaned as a part of maintenance which can prevent a furnace shut down which would have been prevented with regular maintenance. Forgetting to change the filter is another common problem. The furnace overheats or the air conditioner freezes up simply because the filter is dirty and restricts air flow. Filters can be changed as a part of your maintenance plan or the technician can simply remind you that it’s time to change the filter.
The furnace and air conditioner will certainly run better when annual maintenance is completed. That’s not to say that a repair won’t ever be needed or that every repair can be prevented. Customers with an annual maintenance plan receive additional benefits as well. These include $10 off service call, 15% off repairs, 15% off indoor air quality products (such as thermostats, humidifiers, filters, UV lights, etc) and no overtime rates. In addition, if a repair is needed within 30 days of either maintenance service, the service call would be waived.
HVAC is definitely an investment in your home. Regular maintenance is the best way to protect that investment!