When it comes to comfort, HVAC systems play a major role. From commercial HVAC systems to residential, the units are responsible for keeping everyone cool in the summer and warm in the winter; its physical health is integral to how well it performs those jobs.
Naturally, the best way to keep your unit in tip-top shape is to have it inspected at least once a year (or twice a year for efficient HVAC systems). Unfortunately, many home and business owners only see the price tag associated with each visit; before you go skipping your unit’s routine maintenance or commercial service, consider these three things.
- What is your risk tolerance? By choosing to defer HVAC maintenance, you are taking a risk. If the risk is worth it depends on your understanding of a worst-case scenario: for example, if your AC fails during a 100-degree heat wave and you own heat-sensitive electronic equipment, you’ll be facing more than just discomfort. By its very nature, routine maintenance mitigates risk, so you need to decide if the cost of a commercial service check is comparable to what you may lose if something goes wrong.
- You may not be saving money. The main reason people bypass routine HVAC maintenance is to save themselves the bill. Though this may make sense at the time, it may actually end up costing you. Beyond the likelihood that a maintenance check will uncover a problem that may prove expensive if left unfixed, technicians also boost the efficiency of your machine when they visit. This results in lower monthly energy bills by increasing operating capacity; the cost of the visit may be paid multiple times over in the lack of this efficiency.
- The longer you wait, the shorter your unit’s lifespan. Well-made HVAC systems should last between 10-20 years, but that time frame is dependent on how well it’s cared for. When maintenance fails to be performed, the unit may run at higher temperatures or pressures which causes additional wear-and-tear. If this goes unchecked for too long, its components will fail prematurely and you’ll be facing an even heftier bill to replace it.
In the grand scheme of things, it always pays to prevent. The costs associated with picking up the pieces of a broken HVAC — which includes time as much as money — are obscene compared to the work required to schedule a routine commercial service or maintenance appointment. In short, HVAC system maintenance is worth the call. Always.