What to Look for in a Preventative Maintenance Contract

Is the provider willing to customize the terms of the agreement based on your needs? Or do they only offer one cookie-cutter contract for all of their clients? Many contractors may stand somewhere in between. Before contracting, be certain that you understand how much the contractor is willing to work with you.

Depending on your HVAC maintenance needs, you may need a contract written specifically for your business. If that’s the case, make sure you find a contractor flexible enough to work with you to create a contract based on your priorities. Does your business prioritize energy efficiency? Make sure to find a contractor willing to match your preferences. At Air Comfort, we work with you to build a contract based on your needs so that we can better serve you.

During contracting, be certain to clarify what’s included and what’s excluded on the contract. Some contractors will exclude coverage of specific HVAC equipment on the service agreement. 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 so you can be confident that the contract will work for your unique situation, saving you from contractual disputes down the road.

What emergency agreement 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. Oftentimes, if a system failure is the result of 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 cost of guaranteed reliability. The key to contracting for inspection frequency is to find a balance between reliability, cost, and usage. Air Comfort the decades of experience to help you find that balance.