Are you wondering if you need maintenance for your residential or commercial HVAC system? The truth is that all HVAC systems need some type of regular maintenance, and one of the best maintenance plans involves preventative maintenance, which is the process of inspecting your HVAC system for worn parts and problems before it stops working.
Residential and Commercial HVAC Preventative Maintenance
Performing preventative maintenance on your residential or commercial HVAC system can help prevent major breakdowns and large repair bills and help you maximize the useful life of your heating and cooling equipment. This is accomplished with twice-yearly visits from your local HVAC technicians. During these visits, the technician examines your heating and cooling equipment to determine if it is operating within the manufacturer’s recommended guidelines. The technician checks airflow, fan and compressor operating, air intake and electrical current. Your thermostat is checked to ensure it is set to the correct temperatures and programmed appropriately for your building. Your air filter is changed, and if any extremely worn or broken parts are found, you are informed so that they can be repaired or replaced before your HVAC system completely stops working.
If you are receiving preventative maintenance in the late spring or summer, the refrigerant levels of your air conditioner are checked and the copper coils are checked for leaks. If you need new coils or a coolant refill, your technician will notify you and explain the costs.
How Often Should You Get Preventative Maintenance
Our HVAC technicians recommend getting preventative maintenance twice a year, once in the late spring and once in the middle to late fall. By getting maintenance on your HVAC equipment twice a year, you are helping to ensure cool, comfortable temperatures all summer long and warm indoor air temperatures during the winter.
Cost of HVAC Preventative Maintenance
The average cost of an HVAC preventative maintenance visit for customers who are not on a maintenance plan with their local HVAC contractor can expect to pay between $70 and $150 per visit, according to Fixr. If the business or homeowner has a preventative maintenance package, they will save additional money. This is because maintenance packages often include at least one maintenance visit as well as a discount on parts and labor. Some HVAC contractors also offer priority service to businesses and homeowners who have a maintenance package, which means faster service and repairs in the event of a breakdown. Annual preventative maintenance packages typically cost $150 a year. Commercial HVAC maintenance packages typically cost a little more and are custom designed for the building and its heating and cooling needs.
Cost of Replacing an HVAC System
When you think about the cost of ownership of your HVAC system and its lifespan, you should know that most HVAC systems are designed to last between 15 and 25 years. The cost to install a residential HVAC system ranges between $5,000 and $10,000, according to HomeGuide. Large commercial and rooftop HVAC system can cost between $100,000 and 2.5 million dollars, depending on the size and complexity of the system.
When you fail to properly maintain your HVAC system, you could be looking at large repair bills and the need to replace the system long before it’s expected useful life is reached. For example, if you have a residential heating and cooling system that you never maintain unless it completely breaks, you could be shortening its life by as much as 10 to 15 years. This means that you’d have to replace the system every 10 to 15 years rather than every 20 to 25 years. This is a significant cost increase when compared to purchasing a maintenance plan and repairing your system before it completely breaks.
To learn more about our HVAC services and to schedule preventative maintenance for your residential or commercial heating and cooling equipment, give us a call today.
Sources:
https://iaqa.org/consumer-resources/hvac-preventive-maintenance-is-essential/
https://howardair.com/what-is-involved-in-hvac-preventative-maintenance/
https://aristair.com/blog/the-ultimate-commercial-hvac-preventative-maintenance-checklist/
