What to Look For in HVAC Preventative Maintenance Contracts

During contracting, be sure to clarify what’s included and what’s excluded from the contract. Some contractors will exclude coverage of specific equipment in the HVAC preventive maintenance plan. Make sure that all of your vital HVAC equipment is explicitly listed on the service agreement.
Many HVAC contractors may refuse responsibility for HVAC services due to equipment failure caused by certain disasters or events. When contracting with HVAC providers, exclusions are inevitable, but make sure you understand them to be confident that the contract will work for your unique situation, saving you from contractual disputes down the road.

What emergency service does the contract guarantee? How long will it take for an emergency to be remedied? Will it cost you additional money to have a crisis resolved outside of regular business hours? If your system is more prone to critical failure and you absolutely cannot afford downtime, make sure that the emergency agreement has you covered.

What parts, materials, or repairs are your responsibility? Depending on the terms of the contract, you may end up being responsible for expenses that you were unaware of. Carefully read the terms outlining which party is responsible for additional repair costs. Often, if a system failure results from your negligence, repair costs will not be covered. Make sure you know where you stand before signing.

How frequently will your system be inspected? What will this inspection cover? Ensure that the frequency of inspection will match the usage of your system. The more regularly you have your system checked, the more reliable your system, but this comes at an increased cost. The less often you contract for inspection, the more cost-effective but at the expense of guaranteed reliability. The key to contracting for inspection frequency is to find a balance between reliability, cost, and usage. Air Comfort has decades of experience to help you find that balance.

Having an HVAC preventive maintenance plan guarantees your equipment is serviced regularly. Frequently addressing normal wear and tear helps avoid larger problems arising in the future.

Keeping up with an HVAC preventive maintenance routine allows your business to save money by extending your equipment’s lifespan, avoiding the high cost of replacement. HVAC preventive maintenance helps avoid extensive repairs by recognizing a problem before it balloons. Regular maintenance from a service company also helps a business’s equipment remain under warranty.

As mechanical systems age, they begin to decline in efficiency. Even when systems are just below optimal efficiency, you notice energy bills getting higher. Preventive maintenance limits the decline of your equipment and keeps it working at peak efficiency.