An often-asked question from homeowners in Phoenix is whether or not HVAC maintenance programs in Phoenix are worth the cost. It’s also often asked if having the oil changed inside a car every 4,000-6,000 miles is important for a car that operates in temperatures above 100 degrees half of the year. As silly as it might sound, the two comparisons are not that far off. It’s very important to have both programs completed on a regular interval for several reasons.
Routine Car Maintenance vs. HVAC Maintenance Programs In Phoenix
Area #1 – Tires / Belts / Hoses
Quick question: how do you know it’s time to replace the tires on your car? Even better, what happens if you drive on bald tires in Phoenix during the summertime? The answer might surprise you, but most car owners in Phoenix can simply look down at their tire tread and see that they need to be replaced – especially before the monsoon rains come in July and August. Most Phoenix residents will replace their car tires to avoid an accident or a blowout.
The problem when it comes to AC units is that it’s often hard to see wear and tear. It’s for this EXACT reason that you should have regular maintenance programs on your AC unit before they cause an ‘accident’. When the belts, hoses and other mechanical pieces of an AC unit fail the system completely shuts down and can sometimes break entirely. If this occurs, you’ll be looking at spending THOUSANDS of dollars to replace the system. Just like if a tire fails on a car, it can and often does cause an accident.
Area #2 – Lubricants Keep a System Cool and Protect Metal Moving Parts
Question #2 – why do you have oil changed in a car? The answer is rather simple – because when oil is heated, it eventually wears out or ‘thins’. Also, when engine oil is introduced to a combustion engine – powered by gasoline or diesel (which is a natural solvent by the way) the result is less lubrication for the moving parts of an engine.
The same analogy applies to the inner workings of an AC unit. Mechanical and metal parts all move inside any motor whether it’s powered by electricity or by combustion. And if those metal parts are not properly lubricated – they will wear prematurely and eventually break. This is why having an annual inspection for your AC system includes checking and replacing lubricants as well.
Area #3 – Clogged Filters Lead to Inefficiency
Have you ever gone to a mechanic to figure out why your fuel economy has dropped from 25 mpg to 18 mpg? Quite often this is due to clogged air filters for the fuel system. When a fuel injection system does not have clean air to combine efficiently with fuel, the result is poor fuel economy. The same thing applies for AC units. When the filters are dirty and clogged up, the system will consume more energy in order to run. This is why people have their air filters replaced in both cars and their HVAC systems in Arizona frequently.
The desert is a dusty place – this is a statement of fact that anybody living in Phoenix will agree with. As such, it’s very much ‘worth’ the minor cost of maintaining both your car, and HVAC system periodically in order to keep them both running smooth and safe all year long. When you’re thinking about whether or not to have HVAC maintenance programs completed in Phoenix, remember the above comparison and you’ll quickly discover that it’s better to spend a few dollars now as opposed to spending a lot of money later.