If we’re honest, some of us in Oswego, Yorkville, Naperville, Aurora and Plainfield will admit that we probably don’t think about scheduling annual HVAC maintenance.
A few people might be on top of it, but more of us go on faith that our HVAC will continue to perform as it should. If an issue suddenly shows itself, that’s when we’ll contact our HVAC professional and hope that the problem isn’t a big one.
In other words, we tend to be more motivated by urgent care than by preventive care.
One way to be proactive – and, once again if we’re honest, not forgetful – is to set up a preventive maintenance plan with an HVAC professional. A maintenance plan establishes a level and frequency of system inspection. It helps ensure the system does not run into a major malfunction or long-term damage between inspection periods.
When a customer is considering investing in scheduled maintenance, a question we sometimes hear at Air Dynamics concerns whether HVAC preventive plans are worth it. Some people might be skeptical about spending money on what may seem like a marginal concern. Other people may have been told by someone they know that preventive maintenance plans aren’t worth the cost.
In this chat, we’ll address this question so you can draw your own conclusion.
Whether Preventive Maintenance Plans Are Worth It: Understanding Your HVAC
Sometimes a comparison can help illustrate just how hard our HVAC works for us.
The average HVAC system runs for more than 3,000 hours each year. If we were to use our car on the highway at the same rate as our HVAC system, we would travel more than 200,000 miles in that time. If we were driving at 65 mph, we would need to change the tires four times and the oil more than 60 times.
Working that hard that often, an HVAC system will among many other things:
- collect dust, dirt and debris, even when it’s not activated; this accumulation can make the unit work even harder to cool or warm your spaces
- run water through the system in spring and summer, increasing the chance that it may start to leak
- wear down its parts from frequent use as well as from aging
- be susceptible to power surges that can affect internal connections and wiring
Whether Preventive Maintenance Plans Are Worth It: What’s Involved
Preventive maintenance will commonly include two annual inspections. Scheduling one right before spring and another just before fall will support the greatest performance and safety for HVAC systems in Oswego, Yorkville, Naperville, Aurora and Plainfield.
When you have a preventive plan, you ensure that vital steps are taken with the proper tools, knowledge and skill to keep your HVAC properly running as the weather changes. The primary steps include a safety check, a complete cleaning and tune-up, multiple systems tests and identification of any needed system corrections.
These steps include detailed inspection points such as:
Air Conditioner
- checking refrigerant levels
- inspecting blower assembly
- cleaning the condenser coil
- checking the blower speed
Furnace
- checking for carbon monoxide leaks
- verifying integrity of burners
- checking pressure switches
- measuring amp draws
Whether Preventive Maintenance Plans Are Worth It: Additional Benefits
Having a preventive maintenance plan does more than fortify HVAC that performs as it should with less cost and effort. Other advantages include:
reinforcement of warranty. Many warranties will void coverage of a breakdown or repair caused by something that might have been avoided with proper maintenance.
priority service and scheduling. Should something urgent arise with your HVAC, with a preventive maintenance plan you typically have access to service and appointments beyond normal hours without extra fees.
special discounts. Most preventive maintenance plans offer savings on HVAC parts, repairs and equipment.
Contact Us Today
Air Dynamics specializes in HVAC maintenance for Oswego, Yorkville, Naperville, Aurora and Plainfield, and we would be glad to further discuss whether a plan is worth it for you. Simply give us a call at (630) 731-1550.
