Small house in Garmisch, Germany
When you own your own home, one significant potential expense is the repair or replacement of your furnace and/or air conditioning systems. Fortunately, these systems typically last at least 12 – 15 years; however, with some TLC they can last much longer.
The “Clean & Check:”
The most cost effective way to extend their life is to team with a reputable HVAC company and have them “clean and check” your furnace and air conditioning system in the fall and spring, respectively. The annual cost of a bi-annual service agreement, based upon conversations with 5 different HVAC companies, ranged from $110 to $192, assuming your home has a single HVAC system. Every company also offered discounts on parts (usually 10%) and labor. Two of the companies charged only their normal weekday hourly rate, even if your service call required work to be done on a weekend or after 5:00 pm. Typically, these companies also offer discounts for multi-year contracts. For example, one company offers a 10% discount for a 2 year contract and a 14% discount for a 3 year agreement. A few also offer a discount if your home has more than one HVAC system. (Please understand that if you only have a furnace and no central a/c, the cost is less, since only one clean & check will be necessary.)
Principal Benefits:
The most often cited benefits are listed below.
1. Improved efficiency and the resulting lower operating costs.
2. Extended life of equipment.
3. Improved safety.
Here are a few links which address this topic.
Furnaces:
http://www.directenergy.com/EN/Pages/default.aspx.
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,387559,00.html
Air Conditioners:
http://sustainablesources.com/service-your-air-conditioner-for-summer-comfort/
If you want to try to do the work yourself, here’s a link to maintaining your furnace. http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/heating-and-cooling/how-to-maintain-a-furnace.htm.
My current HVAC system is 22 years old. I’ve had them covered with a bi-annual maintenance contract from the beginning. Thus far, I’ve only had to replace the a/c coil. The service technician has told me they run fine and should last for many more years.
Call, text or email me with any questions, or if you need a Realtor to sell your home and/or find your next one! 502.807.4999
