Guide to Choosing the Best Residential HVAC Maintenance Plan

Nobody likes it when the air conditioner breaks down in the middle of summer, and calling an emergency service during a weekend can cost you an arm and a leg in extra fees, not to mention stress and discomfort for your whole family. If you’re spending too much in HVAC system repairs or having HVAC emergencies often, you should seriously consider a regular maintenance plan.

Here’s an interesting fact: out of all the money you spend on servicing and repairing your heating and air conditioning, 70% should go into preventative maintenance and only 30% into repairs and emergencies. If you’re spending more on repairs than you are in maintenance, stop right now, and get a good preventative maintenance plan.

Heating and cooling systems are subject to a lot of wear and tear, and they accumulate dirt and dust pretty fast. Regular maintenance, inspection, and cleaning will extend the life of your equipment, increase its energy efficiency (saving you money on energy bills), keep your family safe and comfortable, and give you peace of mind.

HVAC companies offer many options for routine maintenance and servicing of your systems, and you should at the very least book a seasonal tune-up of your air conditioning system, heating and ductwork once or twice a year.

That said, proper maintenance plans end up saving you money and giving you more features than if you just hire individual services once a year. Let’s talk a little about the different types of service contracts and the perks and benefits that we can offer you.

Types of maintenance contracts

• Full coverage: the Rolls Royce of service contracts, this maintenance plan includes everything: preventative inspections, emergency visits, parts, and labor. It is the most expensive, but peace of mind is priceless. If your HVAC system is old and rickety, this might be a cheaper option than replacing it right away.
• Full labor: this type of contract will include inspections, measuring, cleaning, and adjusting, you would only have to pay for any parts that need to be replaced, such as belts and filters.
• Preventative maintenance only: the lowest cost option, it will still save you money in repairs and emergencies, and usually includes discounts in emergency services if you ever need them.

What to ask before signing a service contract

Whether you approach us or any other company that offers these services, make sure you do your homework and get answers in writing to these questions before signing a maintenance contract.

How many preventative maintenance visits are included per calendar year?

We advise you to get at least two maintenance visits: before summer and before winter, but you could require quarterly visits depending on your equipment’s age and your family’s needs.

What equipment will be inspected and serviced?

It’s important that you get a list in writing of all the equipment, parts, and systems that will receive maintenance. It makes little sense to pay for a maintenance contract only to discover your heat pump is malfunctioning because it was never checked. We have a thorough list of recommended inspections.

Are there discounts for repairs and emergency calls?

Customers who have service contracts with us get priority emergency service, no extra fees for holiday emergencies, and a discount in parts required for emergency repairs, among other perks. Any good maintenance contract should at the very least include a repair discount, meaning they are confident repairs will be less frequent and serious thanks to frequent inspections.

Can the contract be tailored to my needs?

Beware of one-size-fits-all contracts that charge you for services you don’t need. If you can clean and change your filters yourself, you should be able to strike that off the contract and not be charged for it.

Don’t forget to check references and reviews of the company you decide to do business with, and make sure they are always open to communicate with you and answer your questions.

We’ll be happy to chat with you and tell you all about our residential HVAC maintenance plans. Give us a call or send us an email today!