When it comes to keeping the comfort of your home and its energy efficiency optimized, the natural place to start is keeping your HVAC system well-maintained. This maintenance is essential to the longevity of the system as a whole, as well as all of the individual components. Knowing this, one common question homeowners ask is: How much does HVAC maintenance cost, or, how much does it cost for HVAC maintenance?
We’re going to dig into this question, as we explore the potential cost of HVAC maintenance, and learn why getting professional HVAC maintenance is always worth the investment. We’ll also look at the impact on the cost of considering different service options and contracts.
What Factors Determine HVAC Maintenance Costs?
When you’re considering what you’re willing to invest in HVAC maintenance, it’s always important to factor in some basic variables. Consider how the following may affect your potential costs:
- Frequency: HVAC maintenance is often performed on an annual or semi-annual basis. If you want more frequent service, the cost is going to increase.
- System Age & Complexity: Older and more complex systems will also increase the potential cost of HVAC maintenance. This is because systems with these criteria often take more time, effort, and expertise to repair, leading to higher costs per visit.
- Service Contracts: A common way to save money is to buy a maintenance or service contract, which provides maintenance and sometimes even repairs, for a set price that the customer prepays for the contract.
Semi-Annual vs. Annual Maintenance: Which One Is Right for You?
The two most common schedules for HVAC maintenance are annual and semi-annual. Semi-annual maintenance will usually have your systems serviced in the spring and fall, before the season they are expected to see the heaviest use. Annual maintenance is simply performed once a year.
Semi-annual maintenance is often better for homeowners in areas with severe weather or temperature extremes, or who use their HVAC equipment constantly. Annual maintenance is suitable for most homeowners who live in moderate climate conditions, and who have newer, more well-maintained systems.
Your choice of how often you’ll see service will impact your overall cost for HVAC maintenance. Semi-annual services may be more costly upfront, but they can help reduce costs over time.
How Much Does HVAC Maintenance Cost – The Average
While there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this, most homeowners can plan to pay between $150 and $500 per visit, depending on the service needed and the factors we discussed earlier. Budgeting about $300 for an annual maintenance visit is a good guideline, and if you choose semi-annual that means you’re protecting your HVAC system for about $600 per year. For most homeowners, that’s a considerable value.
Service Contracts: Are They Worth It?
Some service providers offer service contracts, which provide peace of mind for the homeowner by providing regular maintenance, and sometimes repairs, for a set initial cost. How it works in most cases is that you are given a contract price based on the model and age of your appliance, $300 for example. Once you pay that $300, you get an annual maintenance check once a year for the term of the contract, and if something breaks there is a discount on parts and labor due to the contract.
Invest in Professional HVAC Maintenance
While it may seem daunting at first, investing money in proper maintenance and care of your HVAC system is the best way to reduce long-term ownership costs. If you’d like more information about having your HVAC equipment checked, or if you have questions about repairs, reach out to Emory today and speak with an expert member of our team.