Can You Benefit from Additional Insurance on Your HVAC System?

When you consider that your cooling and heating components are among the most expensive systems installed in your home — and the most critical to your family's quality of life — it’s easy to understand why adequate HVAC insurance is vital. Several options are available that may provide some or all HVAC insurance coverage in the event of a breakdown, a mishap or another event that disables your cooling or heating system. Here, we'll discuss what’s available to protect your investment and comfort.

Homeowners Insurance

If your AC or furnace is affected by an event — such as a fire — that's also covered by a standard homeowners policy, you’re covered. However, a wide variety of events affecting HVAC equipment that are not covered by standard homeowners insurance — such as earthquakes, flooding or major malfunctions due to wear and tear — will not be eligible for compensation.

However, certain homeowners policies include the option for coverage in the event of the breakdown of major equipment. This will pay for significant repairs to home systems, including HVAC. This HVAC insurance coverage is available at extra cost above the standard homeowner’s policy premium.

Home Warranties

Entirely separate HVAC insurance is included in home warranties that also cover major repairs of various home appliances. Marketed by independent companies, home warranties require payment of a continuing monthly premium and also impose a substantial deductible on most repairs. Most plans do not offer coverage for losses due to events that are typically covered by homeowners insurance, such as fire and theft. Coverage may also be denied if particular system components are not properly maintained.

HVAC Contractor Maintenance Plans

The contractor who sold and installed your HVAC system may offer maintenance plans that provide scheduled routine maintenance as well as repairs and replacements for an affordable monthly premium. The terms usually offer discounts on parts and labor, priority service calls and extended warranties for any new systems you may purchase. Service plans are particularly helpful because the routine annual maintenance provided tends to reduce costly breakdowns and repairs, thus making expensive component replacements less likely.

For more information about HVAC insurance options, talk to the professionals at Air Assurance.

A Timeline for HVAC Maintenance and Replacements

HVAC systems are sophisticated machines that, hopefully, keep your home comfortable year-round. If you are like many homeowners, you may have questions about maintaining your system, how long it should last, or even how often you should change your furnace filter. That's normal. Read on to get a clear picture of the suggested HVAC maintenance timeline and the average service life.

HVAC Service Life

The service life of an HVAC system depends on many factors. The first factor is the quality of the installation. Installing an HVAC system entails calculating your home's load, sizing the HVAC units, and a ductwork evaluation for sizing, repairs, or replacement.The second factor for estimating service life is the manufacturing quality of any HVAC unit. In the long run, it's best to stick with a reputable, factory-authorized HVAC contractor that offers a good warranty and workmanship guarantee.

Lastly, the quality and frequency of HVAC maintenance determines how long your HVAC system lasts before you need to replace it. Following are widely accepted estimates of expected service life for common HVAC units:

• Central air conditioner: 10 to 15 years

• Central heat pump: 10 to 15 years

• Geothermal heat pump: Indoor components 25 years and outdoor ground loop 50 years

• Furnace: 15 to 20 years

• Ductless mini split: 20 to 30 years

• Ductwork: Metal ducts may last a lifetime

HVAC Maintenance Timeline

Scheduled professional HVAC preventive maintenance is a win-win situation to boost your comfort and save money by minimizing repairs and lowering energy bills. Your HVAC technician should visit your home in the spring and fall so you don't have to call him or her for repairs in the summer and winter!Following is a suggested HVAC maintenance timeline:

• Central air conditioner: Every spring

• Central heat pump: Every spring and fall

• Geothermal heat pump: Every spring and fall

• Furnace: Every fall

• Ductless mini split: Every spring or fall

• Ductwork: Every spring or fall

Don't push back your HVAC maintenance timeline or you may be replacing it sooner rather than later. Contact Air Assurance in Broken Arrow to schedule regular service today!

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Clker-Free-Vector-Images/pixabay”

The Annual A/C Inspection: Why You Shouldn't Skip It

HVAC industry experts recommend that air conditioning systems be inspected by a professional prior to Oklahoma’s hot summer weather. While there are some tasks a homeowner can take care of, the A/C inspection includes tasks only a professional is qualified to complete. Providing proper annual maintenance before the air conditioning is actually needed ensures the system will operate properly during the hottest weather. Skipping annual maintenance, on the other hand, puts the air conditioning system at risk for failure when you need it most.

The best time to schedule an annual inspection is while the weather is still cool, as once hot weather settles in scheduling service can be more difficult. The A/C inspection is your best protection against damage to the system from improperly functioning components. Your A/C technician checks the operation of all components, allowing minor problems to be resolved before they evolve into major repair issues.

Proper maintenance, beginning with the annual A/C inspection, saves money throughout the cooling season. First, it ensures the system is operating properly before the hot weather begins. Second, maintenance minimizes the odds of an A/C system failure during the hot weather, eliminating unnecessary emergency service calls. Third, proper service can significantly reduce the daily cost of operating your air conditioning. The Department of Energy reports that simply cleaning or replacing filters can reduce energy use by up to 15 percent. Industry figures suggest that correcting a refrigerant charge saves much more. An extended HVAC service plan can help greatly with controlling costs and minimizing emergency service calls.

To prepare for Oklahoma’s hottest months, contact Air Assurance for a complete A/C inspection. Our qualified technicians will carefully prepare your air conditioning system and provide advice on how to best minimize your air conditioning expenses during our hottest months.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock