Should Your Building Have an HVAC Maintenance Agreement?

During the hottest and coldest months of the year, your HVAC systems will probably receive considerable attention. You’ll pay even more attention to them if there is a problem that causes your furnace, air conditioner, boiler or heat pump to malfunction or break down. The best way to ensure this doesn’t happen is through regular preventive maintenance, and the best time to have maintenance performed is in the off-season, when demands on your heating and cooling equipment are low. For building managers and owners who want to make sure their HVAC systems receive the necessary maintenance to keep them running smoothly, an HVAC maintenance agreement can be an ideal solution.

What is an HVAC Maintenance Agreement?

An HVAC maintenance agreement, sometimes called a service contract, is an agreement between you and your HVAC service provider. The agreement calls for preventive maintenance to be performed on your building’s heating and cooling equipment at regular intervals. The agreement can specify when the maintenance appointments will be scheduled, what will be done by the HVAC technician, and what guarantees or assurances the customer can expect. HVAC maintenance agreements are contracts between you and your HVAC professional, which gives them the same legal force as any other contract.

What Will You Gain from an HVAC Maintenance Agreement?

An HVAC maintenance agreement ensures that maintenance on your heating and cooling equipment will be performed regularly. Your heating and cooling systems will be checked for problems consistently and will receive needed tune-ups and minor repairs to keep them working properly. With regular maintenance, it will be less likely that your HVAC systems will malfunction or break down when they’re needed most.

The nature of an HVAC maintenance agreement means that your HVAC service provider will do the scheduling of maintenance visits. This relieves you of the need to remember to call for service during the spring or fall. For those who are busy with the day-to-day tasks of managing a building, a maintenance agreement takes one important factor off a manager’s busy schedule.

Elements of an HVAC Maintenance Agreement

An HVAC maintenance agreement generally allows for a thorough inspection and tune-up of your heating equipment in the fall and your cooling equipment in the spring. The timing of the maintenance appointment will ensure that the systems are ready for operation when seasonal temperature changes demand it.

Under the terms of an HVAC maintenance agreement, a trained and knowledgeable HVAC professional will check your heating and cooling systems from end to end. The technician will make adjustments to controls and components that improve system function. He will perform tasks such as adjusting and calibrating thermostats, checking and tightening electrical connections, changing air filters, cleaning interior and exterior components, and making minor repairs. For fuel-burning heating systems, the maintenance should also include safety checks such as inspections of heat exchangers, checking of ventilation systems, and testing for carbon monoxide.

An HVAC maintenance agreement can include other benefits such as priority service that allows you to receive repair visits or other services before customers who do not have an agreement. There may also be discounts on parts, labor, emergency repair visits or other standard elements. Be sure to ask your HVAC service provider what the agreement provides and have a thorough understanding of what you can expect from your HVAC pro under the terms of the contract.

Benefits of an HVAC Maintenance Agreement

With an HVAC maintenance agreement, you can expect benefits such as:

• More reliable HVAC system performance over multiple seasons.
• Better and more consistent heating and cooling.
• Improved HVAC system efficiency.
• Lower monthly heating and cooling costs.
• Extended HVAC system service life.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about Plumbing, HVACR, Fire Protection and Alarm Systems in Mechanical, Commercial and Residential settings. For more information on the many benefits of an HVAC maintenance agreement, and to view projects we’ve worked on, visit our website!