You've covered the swimming pool, drained and rolled up the garden hoses, scheduled the furnace to be serviced, and applied protective mulch around tender bushes and trees as part of your annual preparations to ready your home for the coming winter weather. But many homeowners are surprised to find that even when they accomplish an extensive list of home-preparedness tasks, they are still forgetting to do one very important one before winter arrives—having their home's air conditioning system checked and serviced. At first glance, having the home's air conditioning system serviced during the fall season when it will not be needed to cool the home for several months might seem unnecessary. However, fall is actually the very best time to attend to this important task, and the following reasons will help you understand why.
Combining two service calls into one to save money and add convenience
Since you will need to have your furnace checked and serviced before heating season begins anyway, it is both convenient and economical to also have your air conditioning system inspected and serviced during the same visit. Not only will you be saving the cost of a separate service call, but you will also be ensuring that your A/C system is ready for those early, unseasonably warm spring days or when spring's rising pollen counts keep your allergy sufferers safely indoors.
Allowing time to make decisions about needed repairs and upgrades
Another important reason to have your current air conditioning system thoroughly inspected as part of your preparations for winter is to provide an ample window of time in which to make extensive repairs, decide how to proceed with any necessary upgrades, or schedule a second opinion to make sure that replacing the entire system or a pricey component is really necessary. Waiting till spring to have your air conditioning system inspected means that any needed repairs or replacements will have to be scheduled immediately in order to have the system ready for the imminent cooling season. In addition, air conditioning sales and service contractors will have more available time to devote to you in the fall than they will during hot weather when their customers are dealing with hot homes and failed air conditioning systems.
Offering the opportunity for potential savings and discounts on discontinued models, floor samples, and returns
As part of the appliance industry, air conditioning components are similar to other appliance trends, including offers for end-of-the-year discounts as the manufacturers make room for new models that will be arriving after the first of the new year. By having the air conditioning system inspected during the fall, homeowners have an excellent opportunity to save significantly on the cost of new components or even on a completely new system. If you find out during your fall A/C system check that you will need to replace a big-ticket component, such as the condensing unit or the compressor, remember to ask your service contractor about:
- any specials they may be running on components they currently have in stock
- any factory specials available through their manufacturer, such as model-year closeouts
- any returned systems or components that have been refurbished and marked down for a quick sale
Taking advantage of replacing components before any changes in restrictive regulations take effect after the new year
If any state or federal phaseouts or restrictions are scheduled to take place after the first of the next year, having any necessary system upgrades made during the fall can be financially advantageous for the homeowner. Not only will this allow you to "grandfather" your components in under current regulations, it will also allow you to put off upgrading to the more expensive components that use the new refrigerants for a few more cooling seasons.
Doing this will also likely give the cost of the new systems time to moderate somewhat as they become more available, while also helping to ensure that any problems found in the designs of the first models have been addressed before you purchase one. A reliable HVAC contractor in your area is your best source for important information about any coming changes in regulations as well as additional tips on how you can enjoy home air conditioning as efficiently as possible in the coming years. Click here to investigate more.
Share