I’m about to tell you something you have probably heard before — I recommend yearly air conditioner and heat pump maintenance. But why? To put it simply, keeping your air conditioner maintained actually pays you back.

Proper maintenance involves much more than just changing filters and hosing down air conditioners.

Proper air conditioner and heat pump maintenance will pay you back in:

• Higher operating efficiency.
• Lower operating cost.
• Increased home comfort.
• Fewer repairs.
• Longer equipment life.
• Healthier indoor air.
• Peace of mind.

I’m not referring to the quick clean and check that many air conditioning companies offer at an incredibly low price. Proper system maintenance takes much longer than 30 minutes to perform, and a good technician will help you find potential issues before they become huge problems. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you — you get what you pay for, but before you commit to an air conditioning company make sure you know what you are getting.

Here are some tips to help you choose the right contractor for your air conditioner and heat pump maintenance.

1. Ask questions - Some questions may seem obvious but how do you know unless you ask. Questions to ask a prospective air conditioning contractor:
   • Are you a licensed contractor?
   • Are you insured?
   • Are you certified to handle and recover refrigerant?
   • What is included with the cost of your tune-up?
   • What is not included?
   • Do you guarantee your work?
2. Check references - A contractor with a good reputation in your town should have no problem providing a few names of happy customers you can call.
3. Verify – When in doubt verify a contractor’s license with the Utah Department of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL). It’s easy and it’s free.
4. Observe – So you were careful in selecting the right air conditioning contractor, now what? It’s your house, so leave your technician room to work but observe the process. If he/she knows what they are doing they won’t mind. How else are you going to verify that you are getting what you’re paying for?

If everything went well — congratulations! Now that you know the benefits of regular and proper maintenance consider investing in a maintenance agreement with your air conditioning contractor. Many companies offer perks such as, no overtime service charges and priority emergency repair scheduling for clients who with maintenance agreements.