Maintenance, any form of maintenance, is not fun or glamorous. And most people will not get around to doing it until they absolutely cannot avoid it. In some areas of life, this may be alright. For instance, if your lawnmower packs up on a Saturday morning, you can still manage to get by without it. You and your family will not be in immediate danger because you did not cut the grass in the yard. But for other systems that run your home, such as the HVAC (heating, ventilation and cooling), this is not the case.
Unlike, a lawnmower that you use only occasionally and which you may be able to hire if yours fails to work, HVAC systems are in service all the time. In summer they are cooling the home and protecting you from heat. In winter, heating keeps the biting cold at bay and across every season of the year, they are maintaining the indoor air quality of your home. Therefore, to keep these systems functioning without unexpected and costly breakdowns, regular and adequate maintenance is critical.
HVAC systems are heavily maintenance dependent; they have many components and lots of moving parts. Consequently, there is always a chance for something to go wrong; from clogged filters to dirty coils, leaks, corrosion and poor air distribution. That is why it is vital to have an HVAC maintenance plan that you follow throughout the year. This plan involves a schedule of maintenance activities that you need to do monthly, bimonthly and seasonally.
Unfortunately, says the property management team of Nest DC, for most homeowners following a maintenance calendar is a huge challenge. Tasks are either forgotten or put off as long as the air conditioning or heating is working. The result is often that the systems will surprise you and pack up late in the night or when you least expect them to. When such things happen, who are you going to call? It is to avoid such scenarios that homeowners are encouraged to have an HVAC maintenance agreement.
What is an HVAC maintenance agreement, and why should you have one?
It is a contract between you and a licensed HVAC professional, which allows you to reserve that company’s services both for routine maintenance and emergencies. An HVAC maintenance agreement ensures that you have a well-trained technician who looks after the health of your HVAC systems by carrying out maintenance, repairs, and replacements, as and when due. There are many good reasons why this is the recommended way to manage your HVAC systems.
1. It saves you a lot of money
Having an HVAC maintenance agreement in place helps homeowners achieve major savings. There are three avenues through which you can save money when you have an HVAC maintenance agreement:
- Given that you are buying the company’s service beforehand, you give them a guarantee of future income. And as a reward for doing this, the maintenance company will, in turn, provide their services at a discount.
- You will save money on maintenance/repair costs. Firstly, because the systems are maintained regularly, they will break down less often. Secondly, you can buy replacement parts at a lower price because the maintenance company gets bulk discounts from manufacturers.
- You will save money on energy. Well-maintained HVAC systems use less energy and produce more heating or cooling. They do not need to work as hard as badly maintained systems to achieve the same results. And this reduces your energy bill considerably.
2. No worries over the manufacturer’s warranty
When you hire an HVAC technician to work on your systems, there is a constant fear of violating the equipment manufacturer’s warranty. That doesn’t happen when you have a maintenance agreement. The company is not only competent but will give a guarantee of their own for every part they install.
3. Maximize the life of your HVAC
A maintenance agreement helps you avoid premature replacement of your HVAC systems. Instead of failing before the end of their useful life, they are likely to last longer than expected. You can postpone replacing the equipment until when it is convenient.
4. Never miss a scheduled maintenance
Since the service company keeps a record of the equipment’s maintenance log and maintenance schedule, there is no danger of forgotten or postponed maintenance. This means that your HVAC systems will always get the necessary attention ahead of seasonal changes.
5. Avoid breakdowns at the most inconvenient times
Fixing an HVAC system that has broken down in the middle of the night or during a snowstorm is costly. If you can get hold of an HVAC professional who is willing to come out at that time, they will often charge, at least, twice the usual amount. But a maintenance agreement helps you avoid such problems. And if they do happen, the company is bound to come to your aid.
Finally, an HVAC maintenance agreement gives you peace of mind and the freedom to pay attention to things that are important to you and your family.
