Quote:
Originally Posted by jrref
Let me ask you, can you provide any benefit-to-cost data that doesn't justify the cost of a regular maintenance program?
But I see your point. What I disagree with is when you say spending money on having a professional check your system periodically is a waste of money.
I would have to go look for studies but you can go on Youtube and see tons of videos of HVAC repairs where the homeowner did no maintenance and the results.
Regardless, you just have to look at the science and engineering on how these systems work and how they typically fail to determine whether you think preventive maintenance helps prevent a failure and or prolongs the life of your system.
We can argue over preventing failures and I don't disagree, that's a whole other discussion but what we know for sure is depending on the maintenance you do or not, will have an effect on how long your system lasts. You can have what you think is a perfectly running unit, cooling the home just fine and have an electric bill that "looks" good but your system may not be running not as efficient as it could so you may be wasting money on excess energy exceeding the $200/year you could have spend making sure it's running efficiently. It's possible. I think out of all the discussion we have been having, this is the main point. And you can't know for sure unless you take some measurements because If your not testing, you are guessing.
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You are correct that I am guessing. But, as an engineer, I do a certain amount of inspection and maintenance. If something doesn't seem right, I would call a technician.
I have a vehicle that cost 6 times as much as my HVAC system. I change the motor oil, tires, and brakes. That is all. To me, preventive maintenance is designed to make money for the people who sell it, not the customer.
There was another thread where people were recommending maintenance on a water heater. This is an appliance that costs about the same as a microwave oven. Definitely not worth maintaining.