Are AC Tune-Ups Worth the Cost?

Your air conditioner often sits out of sight and out of mind, particularly when it seems to be functioning properly. While AC maintenance may not be at the forefront of your mind, regular AC tune-ups are actually a vital part of ensuring your air conditioner continues to provide the performance you want throughout the years. Although it can be tempting to skip an AC tune-up or two if you haven’t been having any problems achieving the level of home cooling you want, a poor maintenance record could cost you more over the long term through cooling repairs and even premature system replacement.

The Cost of Cooling Your Home

Cooling your home is an unavoidable cost during the warm summer months; you may think that even if your cooling costs seem high, they are worth paying for the comfortable indoor environment you want. While it is true that running your air conditioner in warm weather is associated with ongoing energy costs, the more efficient the cooling your air conditioner produces, the lower the price you will pay on your monthly bills. When your air conditioner is functioning efficiently, it turns the maximum amount of energy input into cooling output; as your air conditioner loses efficiency, it may still be able to achieve the temperature you want, but will do so by consuming more energy. This raises the costs of cooling your home above the expected level, resulting in greater long-term costs than you would otherwise pay if your air conditioner were operating efficiently. The purpose of AC tune-ups is to keep your air conditioner operating as efficiently as possible by addressing efficiency losses associated with wear and tear or dirt and dust buildup. Thus, although you will pay the short-term costs of your AC tune-up visits, you’ll also enjoy the long-term cooling savings these visits can produce.

The Cost of AC Repairs and Replacement

One of the major benefits of scheduling a biannual AC tune-up is a dramatically lower risk of AC problems. Cooling problems will not only disrupt your comfort and often your daily schedule, they will also cost you money in terms of repair or, in some cases, complete system replacement to restore the home comfort you want. Even when your air conditioner appears to be functioning normally, it is constantly incurring wear and tear that increases the risk of a breakdown with each passing month. Poor maintenance history allows this wear and tear to build up, eventually causing a more major cooling problem that can bring your AC to a halt until repairs are made. Thus, the costs of maintaining your air conditioner through AC tune-ups is significantly less than the costs of making repairs or replacing the entire cooling system if it experiences a problem that could have been prevented or minimized with regular AC tune-up service.

Now that you know how a simple AC tune-up can help you avoid added costs and stress, it’s time to check when you last serviced your air conditioner. If you’re due for an AC tune-up in Elk Grove, CA, you can schedule your next maintenance service when you visit our website, where you’ll also find information about our home maintenance plans and additional home comfort solutions. We also invite you to take a moment and read through our blog, which contains even more helpful articles and information you can use to get the best performance and the greatest value from your home heating and cooling systems.