With a cost of around $75 for a one-time tune-up or more than $100 for an annual service contract, hiring an HVAC company to perform maintenance isn’t cheap. Is it worth it?

“Definitely,” says Michael Smith, energy programs manager for Central Electric Power Cooperative. “You’d be surprised how bad systems can get when they’re not maintained. Dirt builds up on coils, and that’s food for mold. It’s an efficiency issue and a health issue.”

Smith says you should hire a reputable company, then pay attention to what the service technician does. You should expect the pros to check the coolant level, clean coils, check belts and the compressor, oil fan motors and make sure system operating pressures and temperatures meet manufacturer specifications.

Frank Furtick, our energy expert from Edisto Electric Cooperative, advises homeowners to do their part between service calls by changing the filter every 30 days, making sure registers aren’t blocked and keeping doors open so air circulates throughout the house.