Keeping up with maintenance around your home is important. One such service is your HVAC maintenanceandmdash;if your system has been working fine all this time, why would it need to be regularly serviced? Shouldnandrsquo;t it continue to work just fine for the future as well?
Actually, skipping your maintenance could be extremely detrimental to your systemandrsquo;s overall health and condition. Over time, your entire home could suffer for it in ways you didnandrsquo;t expect. Here are just a few things that can happen when you donandrsquo;t properly maintain your heating and cooling equipment.
Your System Uses More Energy
The most immediate result you will see is a difference in how much energy your system uses. As time passes, different components begin to slow down and sustain wear and tear from use, followed by months of sitting dormant. This creates resistance that wastes energy, resulting in higher costs for heating and cooling - an impact that can be exacerbated by Californiaandrsquo;s high energy prices.
You may not notice a huge difference at first, but by the end of the season and in additional seasons going forward, youandrsquo;ll see a significant spike in the amount of money you are spending to keep your home comfortable - and it isnandrsquo;t always due to increased energy costs like you might expect. Instead, a well-maintained system tends to keep energy costs largely consistent, meaning they remain as low as they can for the foreseeable future. Plus, your system will also continue to remain effective, meaning it will keep your home more comfortable while also using less energy.
Your System Breaks Down
Nobody likes to deal with a broken air conditioner or heater. However, as a homeowner, there isnandrsquo;t much worse than a heating or cooling problem when you need this system the most. When you absolutely need your HVAC system to be as reliable as possible, the last thing you want to worry about is that system breaking down. If you donandrsquo;t maintain your system, the chances of that happening go up significantly.
A system that isnandrsquo;t well maintained is far more likely to break down. A broken system will require professional repair and costs that you werenandrsquo;t expecting. Likewise, it can be a signal that your HVAC system is starting to approach the end of its life, meaning youandrsquo;ll need to completely replace your system soon. Thatandrsquo;s if the problem with your system isnandrsquo;t so severe that total replacement becomes a necessity anyway.
Your Systemandrsquo;s Lifespan Shortens
Time and time again, studies and tests have shown that a system that does not receive proper maintenance and upkeep simply wonandrsquo;t last nearly as long as a system that does. When well-maintained heating and cooling system can reasonably be expected to last between 25 and 30 years - and sometimes even longer with appropriate repairs and preventative work. However, without proper maintenance, that number drops significantly. In fact, itandrsquo;s entirely possible that you might be paying to completely replace your HVAC system within as little as 15 to 20 years of your systemandrsquo;s initial installation without proper maintenance. And thatandrsquo;s not including any of the repairs that will be needed in the meantime.
What does that mean? It means that not maintaining your HVAC system can cost you heavily in your systemandrsquo;s overall value. Not only will you have to spend more in a shorter amount of time, but the added cost of repairs and energy means a much more costly investment.
Your Warranty Lapses
Finally, if you have a brand-new system that is still protected by a warranty, thereandrsquo;s a good chance that one of the terms on that warranty agreement is a requirement that you professionally maintain your HVAC system at least once per year. As long as a system is maintained, many manufacturers are willing to back systems by a warranty up to ten years. Otherwise, many systems revert to a warranty as short as three to five years. That means a lot of additional time without protection from defects or any potential issues that can come up through regular use. With a warranty, these repairs would be covered entirely, but without one, youandrsquo;re on your own. That peace of mind and protection alone often makes the cost of your HVAC maintenance worthwhile.
Schedule your HVAC system maintenance today! Call Valley Heating, Cooling, Electrical and Solar at (408) 868-5500 to book your appointment.