A few weeks ago we focused a whole blog post on how air conditioner maintenance can make you money.
This week, we will look at why preventative AC maintenance makes smart sense from a different perspective – SAVING MONEY.
Can scheduling your air conditioner preventative maintenance service really put money back in your pocket? As a matter of fact, we have nearly a century of experience to back us up when we say, YES.
Read on to learn how you can stay cool and save money all summer long!
Four Hazards of a Poorly Maintained Air Conditioner
The majority of air conditioner systems we see have at least potentially serious problems brewing.
This is why we say that the number one reason to schedule preventative air conditioner maintenance is to make sure small problems stay small.
Here is an example.
A corroded or frayed electrical wire is easy and cheap to replace. But if it is not replaced it could cause a home fire.
Air conditioner units can break down in many ways. But these four hazards represent the most serious safety issues that preventative AC maintenance easily addresses.
1. Home Fires
Every year, more than 24,000 Canadian homes catch on fire. Nearly 400 people die. But most of these fires are preventable.
Modern major home appliances are complicated, high-tech machines. They have many moving parts that can become quite worn and unsafe over time.
It just makes smart sense to take an hour or two each year to have a professional service technician inspect and service your AC unit. This can make the difference between reading about home fire statistics and becoming one of those statistics.
2. Chemical or Water Leaks
Refrigerant, or coolant, is the chemical that makes indoor cooling possible. But over time, poorly maintained AC units may begin to leak refrigerant. Refrigerant is very toxic and should only be handled by a trained professional.
Water leaks are also a common cause of air conditioner outages. If the AC drainage pipe gets blocked, it could cause water damage inside your home.
3. Sudden Outages
Sudden air conditioner outages may not feel serious in the cooler months of spring and fall, but as climate change continues to rise and summer temperatures continue to climb, a sudden summer AC outage could be disastrous for your family’s health and damaging to your home!
4. Toxic Indoor Air
One of the easiest home air conditioner maintenance issues to fix is a dirty air filter. But this is also one of the most commonly overlooked issues and is a major cause of toxic indoor air.
A dirty air conditioner is going to spew dirty air back out into your space.
Before COVID-19, this might not have felt as concerning. But in the wake of the global pandemic, maintaining clean indoor air is an urgent health priority.
Four Ways Air Conditioner Maintenance Can Save You Money
Now that we have identified the four major hazards associated with a lack of preventative air conditioning maintenance, let’s turn our attention to how maintaining your AC unit can save you money.
1. Avoid a Major AC Repair
The average cost of an AC repair here in Canada is just over $400. But the average cost of preventative air conditioner maintenance service is only around $150.
How would you like to save $250?
The easiest way to keep those funds in your wallet is to schedule your AC preventative maintenance service today!
2. Lower Your Energy Bills
Energy Star states that simply replacing a dirty or clogged AC air filter can boost your air conditioner’s energy efficiency by up to 15%.
When you schedule AC preventative maintenance, this includes an air filter change. The end result can be an improvement in energy efficiency of up to 40%!
Take a look at your average summer cooling bill. Then reduce the amount by 40%. That is the amount you just put back into your pocket!
3. Improve Your Health
Poor health impacts your bottom line in too many ways. Lost work or school days, missing out on time with family and friends, experiencing increased stress and fear, increasing your doctor’s appointments and medication bills…the list of expenses goes on and on and on.
Nobody wins when your air conditioner unit is producing dirty air that causes respiratory health issues for you and your family.
Preventative air conditioner maintenance includes a thorough cleaning for all of the exterior and interior components and parts plus the air registers and exhaust vents.
Frequently, this preventative maintenance cleaning also identifies early warning signs of mould or mildew so you don’t wind up with a major home remediation project to pay for on top of mounting health bills.
4. Extend the useful life of your HVAC system.
The U.S. Department of Energy states that the average air conditioning unit has a useful life of around 10 years.
However, many AC systems do not last that long. Why? Because they do not receive proper preventative maintenance before major parts (blower motor, fan belts, compressor and evaporator coils) break down. At that point, it often makes more sense to simply replace the whole unit, whether your budget expects it or not.
Want to avoid having to buy a new AC unit before your current unit is ready to be replaced? The easiest way to accomplish this goal is to maintain the unit you have.
Shipton’s Heating and Cooling Is Your Hamilton Ontario AC Expert
With nearly 100 years of hands-on, practical experience installing, servicing and repairing all makes and models of HVAC systems, we stand behind every job we do with our Four Guarantees.
Our goal is to keep you cool all summer and warm all winter. Give us a call at 1-905-549-4616 or visit us online to stay safe and save on all your air conditioning and heating needs.
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