by Regan Land
What is the Cost of Comfort?
Spring
How a proactive approach can save you money!
is finally here! It’s time to put away the winter coats, turn off the heaters, and open the windows to let some warm, fresh air enter our homes. It’s the perfect time to get some spring cleaning done inside the home, clean up outdoors in anticipation of the green grass and plant all the colorful flowers to help lighten things up. Well, spring is also the perfect time for preventative maintenance on your “out of sight, out of mind” air conditioning system. Preventative maintenance agreements (PMAs) are agreements between you and your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) contractor for scheduled inspections and maintenance on your HVAC system. PMAs are designed to maintain peak efficiency, prevent utility overpayment, avert system failures, and prolong the life of the system. The key word in PMA is preventative. PMAs are a great way of preparing your system for the upcoming season in a proactive approach—before system failure and prior to overpaying your utility company.
What’s the bottom line for you? Savings: According to the Department of Energy (DOE), an average 56% of your utility bill goes towards heating and air conditioning your home. If not maintained, the system will consume more energy the older it gets. Keeping the system maintained will save money in the long run. In fact, according to the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), having your system maintained can save you up to 50% of electric consumption over the life of the system. In addition, most
contractors will also provide a discount on parts and services performed during the year.
Preventative Maintenance Agreements (PMAs) prolong the life of your HVAC system. Piece of Mind: Preventative maintenance will mean fewer system failures and longer life for your HVAC system. According to multiple studies, including one by the Arizona Public Service, as many as 82% of HVAC systems have an improper amount of refrigerant. This can lead to premature breakdown of the compressor and other components. Weak capacitors, burnt contactors, loose wire connections, etc., can all also lead to problems. You can rest easy knowing that all these potential problems are checked.
Continuity: Many contractors are often able to assign technicians to specific customers. That way, you get to see and know the same service technician, and he or she becomes more familiar with you and your equipment. So, keep this in mind: Just like changing the oil in your car every 3,000 miles will help prevent you from having to buy a $3,000 engine, having your HVAC system maintained twice a year can prevent thousands of dollars worth of repairs and hundreds of dollars in additional costs to your utility company. Regan Land was born and raised in Kerrville. He is the General Manager at Hardin Heating and Cooling where he helps customers get the most out of their indoor comfort system through energy audits, education, design, and repair. Regan holds a Texas HVAC Contractors license (TACLA27542E) and is a Certified Indoor Environmentalist (CIE). You can reach him at regan@ hardinheatingandcooling.com or (830) 7923993.You can also visit the website at www. HardinHeatingAndCooling.com.
Priority Service: Should a system failure occur during the heat of summer or cold of winter, PMA customers will generally receive priority service. KCP │ Mar-Apr 2011 │17