HVAC maintenance plans: cost and what should be included

Prices differ by system. This Old House lists maintenance for a duct-free mini-split at $300 to $550 and for a packaged unit at $450 to $550, both above a standard furnace or AC visit.

Trane notes that most plans offer a spring visit and a fall visit. That is the core of what you are buying: one cooling tune-up before summer and one heating tune-up before winter. The AC tune-up and furnace tune-up pages list what a technician should do on each visit.

Beyond the two visits, plans commonly add some of these:

• Priority scheduling when something breaks in peak season.
• A reduced or waived diagnostic fee.
• Filters, or a reminder service for filter changes.
• An extended labor warranty on a newly installed system. Trane says the standard labor warranty is 1 year and an extended labor warranty tied to a service agreement may go up to 5 years.

Trane's advice is direct: companies do not all offer the same perks, so know exactly what is included and what costs extra before you sign.

• What is covered. A maintenance plan pays for inspections and cleaning. It is not a repair warranty. Parts, refrigerant and repairs are billed separately unless the contract says otherwise.
• How many systems. A home with two furnaces or two AC units usually pays per system.
• The task list. Ask for the written checklist for each visit. A visit that only swaps a filter and looks at the unit is not a tune-up.
• Renewal and cancellation. Check whether the plan renews automatically, how to cancel and whether unused visits are refunded.
• Scheduling. Find out whether the company calls you to book or whether the visit is lost if you forget.
• Transfer. Ask whether the plan moves to a buyer if you sell the house.

Do the math with your own quotes. Add up what the same contractor charges for one cooling tune-up and one heating tune-up bought separately. If the plan costs about the same or less, the extras are free.

A plan fits well if you have a heat pump or a furnace and AC that both need yearly service, if your equipment is in its middle years, or if you tend to forget to book maintenance. Many manufacturer warranties expect the equipment to be maintained, so keep every visit report.

A plan fits poorly if the contractor uses visits mainly to sell. Maintenance visits are a common setting for upsells such as duct cleaning, UV lights or early replacement. A recommendation should come with a measurement, a photo or a failed test. You can always ask for the reading and take time to decide.

Check that the company is licensed in your state. Price matters less than whether the visits actually happen and cover the full checklist. More pricing help is in the HVAC cost guides.