The answer to this question is met with another question. What type of program do you have? There are many different types offered on the market today. There are pros and cons to each program. I will cover two of the more common programs offered and my thoughts on each.
Semi-annual preventative maintenance program. This program includes two a/c checks per year. The program by nature goes through the system to make sure everything is clean and operating properly. The scope of this program is to identify any minor problems prior to them becoming major problems. The pros of this program are you have a professional looking at your system twice a year. The program by nature will give you a true picture of what type of condition your system is in. It is much like preventative maintenance you do with your vehicle. There are also discounts offered when enrolled in this program on any additional work that may be required. It is also the least expensive program available. The cons: it is not going to cover repairs as they arise.
Air Conditioning maintenance and repair program. This type of program includes the items stated above but also has some repairs built into the price of the program. This may sound like a good thing at first but there are some inherent problems with this type of program. Let’s start with the pros. As stated it will cover some repairs. You may stop me there and say but wait, the name implies that it is an a/c repair and service type program, how come all repairs are not covered? The fact of the matter is there is a very long list of things that are not covered. To name a few: electrical lines, refrigerant lines and plumbing lines are not covered. It also excludes repairs due to corrosion, abuse and water issues. It also does not cover humidistat, thermostats, electrical service equipment, circuit breakers or panels. The big con for this program is it usually is three to four times the price of a maintenance only program. The pro side is that some items will be covered.
As you can see there is a bit of a difference in the two programs. I believe that the best choice is the semi-annual program. But that’s just me… I guess that’s why they make vanilla and chocolate.
Download our Maintenance Agreement here for more details.
Thanks for reading,
Bryan Hayes
