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Should I Opt for a Service Agreement or Make Air Conditioner Repairs as Needed?

HVAC Tech Checking air conditioning unit

Our Local Air Conditioner Repair Team Weighs In On This Common Question

In today’s economy, everyone is looking for a way to save money. This is entirely understandable. When it comes to home air conditioner repairs, our St. Louis customers often wonder whether they should opt for a service agreement to secure twice-a-year maintenance at one low price, or if they should wait to see if repairs or maintenance are needed as the year goes on.

As customers ponder the decision to make repairs as needed, the strategy goes something like this: “I’ll cross my fingers and hope that I don’t have to worry about repairing my air conditioner this year. I won’t have to purchase a service agreement, and I can spend that money elsewhere.”

Or it might go something like this: “I’ll just make repairs as they come up. Some years will be worse than others, but all in all, I’ll probably save more this way than getting regular maintenance.”

Below, we’ll examine these savings strategies to see if these plans make more sense than opting for a service agreement now.

The Pros and Cons of Making Air Conditioner Repairs as Needed (and Skipping the Service Agreement)

The easiest way to explain the pros and cons of making repairs when you need them is best illustrated with two stories. In our first story, the homeowner decides to go without a service agreement. They decide against a plan that will clean and optimize the system, as well as catch repairs before they get worse.

Customer #1: “Fingers Crossed”
Our first St. Louis homeowner is looking to save money one summer. A service agreement from a premier HVAC company is just about the same amount of money as a week’s worth of groceries for a small family, and it would be nice to save.

The homeowner flips on the air conditioner and lets it run like they always do, hoping that there won’t be any need for repair. Guess what? The plan works! There aren’t really any issues with the air conditioner, and no need to call for local air conditioner repairs.

However, the next summer is a different story. Over the course of the year, the system’s components are wearing down because of the high usage in extreme temperatures during winter and summer.

When our homeowner decides to try their strategy again by saving on a service agreement and putting that money toward a week of groceries, no one is there to check on the HVAC system. It’s been running full steam for a year now without any maintenance.

In the heat of August, our homeowner’s air conditioner is suddenly no longer pumping out cool air. The homeowner tries the internet for advice, but can’t seem to figure it out. Deciding that repairing an air conditioner must be easy, they try the repairs themselves, but can’t seem to get the system to work. Now, they’ve spent money at the hardware store, but the home is still hot.

When the homeowner calls for home air conditioner repairs, the cost of the repairs is far more significant than if the machine was maintained appropriately. The repairs end up costing much more than an affordable, effective service agreement that provides two maintenance and optimization checks per year. This savings plan isn’t working well, and the whole family also had to experience a miserably hot house while they tried to figure out what was wrong.

The Results of Skipping a Service Agreement:

  • While the family did save one year, they ended up spending that money the next year on more costly repairs, along with their DIY hardware store trip that didn’t get results. In this case, the cons seem to far outweigh the pros of skipping a service agreement.

 

The Pros and Cons of Activating a Service Agreement with a Premier Air Conditioner Repair Team

Let’s see what happens when a second St. Louis resident opts for a service agreement. Before summer begins, this homeowner signs up for an affordable service agreement from a local air conditioner repair company with great customer reviews and a stellar reputation.

Customer #2: “Agreement Activated!”
For $168 a year, our St. Louis homeowner gets two service visits per year, as well as priority service and 25% off labor on all repairs. A service agreement provides visits in the spring and fall, just before the hottest and coldest months of the year. This ensures that the homeowner’s HVAC system is cleaned, maintained, and optimized for the heavy-lifting ahead.

Our homeowner merely has to budget $14 a month – the price of a streaming- service subscription – and now has peace of mind that their HVAC system runs effectively throughout the year.

They have no need to call for air conditioner repairs thanks to this service agreement. However, in the fall – when they get their second service visit – their technician notices a few small tweaks that can be made. When the technician comes again in the spring, those adjustments are optimized even further. Now, the technician has optimized the system twice before the next warm season, preventing costly home air conditioner repairs.

Let’s now fast forward to a winter down the road when a repair needs to be made (which is expected for all systems from time to time). Our homeowner is worried because the house is getting cold. Fortunately, because of their service agreement, they get priority service, and a technician is there in a flash. What’s more, they save 25% on labor as the technician ensures the machine is up and running again, bringing warmth and comfort to the home.

The Results of Opting for a Service Agreement:

  • This homeowner paid $14 a month to ensure their system performed at high level for multiple seasons before it required any regular wear-and-tear repairs. When the homeowner did end up having to make repairs, they received priority service and saved 25% on labor costs. All of that savings adds up to much more than the original cost of the service agreement. It’s hard to imagine a downside to this tactic.

 
This homeowner didn’t need to consider repairing their air conditioner for several seasons. When they did require a very routine repair, they didn’t need to call in a panic, fearing they were surely on a long list. What’s more, it was a minor repair. If they weren’t receiving maintenance and optimizations up to that point, the repair likely would have been far more costly.

The Verdict Is In – A Service Agreement Far Outweighs Making Air Conditioner Repairs as Needed

As our stories above explain, a service agreement is a far better bet to ensure your air conditioner and heating system remains strong and optimized when you need it the most.

At Meyer Heating & Air our service agreement provides:

  • Two service visits, one in the fall and one in the spring, for $168 (the equivalent of $14 per month)
  • Maintenance and optimizations before the hottest and coldest seasons
  • 25% off all labor costs
  • Priority service visits for our service agreement customers

 
You’ve heard the tale over and over again: don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. When it comes to expensive and essential items like your vehicle, your home, and expensive machinery such as your HVAC system, this wisdom is particularly helpful.

We look forward to serving you when you need heating and air conditioner repairs, maintenance, installation, indoor air quality solutions, and much more.

Activate a service agreement with Meyer Heating & Air today – your premier team for local air conditioner repairs in St. Louis. Call us at (314) 845-1929 or contact us online to get started.