HVAC Preventative Maintenance vs Warranty Coverage for a Commercial Building

If you’re a commercial property owner, you know that HVAC failures can be expensive, disruptive, and frustrating. The real challenge is figuring out how to protect your system effectively—should you invest in preventative maintenance, rely on a warranty, or both?

At Harold Brothers, we’ve helped countless commercial property owners optimize their HVAC maintenance strategies, ensuring maximum efficiency while keeping costs under control.
In this article, we’ll break down the key differences between preventative maintenance and warranty coverage, highlight their benefits and drawbacks, and help you determine which option—or combination—best suits your property’s needs.

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are critical to the comfort and functionality of commercial buildings. These systems regulate indoor temperatures, ensure air quality, and support energy efficiency. However, their complexity and constant usage make them prone to wear and tear, leading to potential malfunctions and downtime. To address these challenges, commercial property owners often rely on two strategies: preventative maintenance and warranty coverage. We will help you to understand the differences between a warranty, an extended warranty, and a Preventative Maintenance Contract.  

Understanding HVAC Preventative Maintenance for Commercial Buildings

Preventative maintenance involves proactive care and regular servicing to ensure HVAC systems function their best. This strategy identifies and addresses potential problems before they escalate into costly repairs or system failures. For commercial properties, preventative maintenance is best performed by trained HVAC technicians who conduct comprehensive inspections and tune-ups. Preventative Maintenance needs to happen in conjunction with your warranty if you have one. 

Key Preventative Maintenance Tasks:

There are many preventative maintenance tasks your HVAC professional will do to keep your system as healthy as possible, but there are 7 key tasks that are most important. For starters, a full system inspection. They will check for wear and tear, leaks, or damaged components such as ductwork, coils, and compressors. During those inspections, an electrical system test could also be performed. This electrical system test will verify connections, sensors, and any controls that could prevent power-related issues. 

Checking your refrigerant and thermostat calibration is important to make sure your HVAC system is heating and cooling your building correctly. Refrigerant is a fluid used for cooling and heating. With these checks, your technician will monitor the refrigerant levels to prevent overloading or underperformance. Thermostat Calibration will ensure an accurate temperature setting for comfort and energy efficiency.

There will also be basic system upkeep, like filter replacement, cleaning coils, and lubricating moving parts. Replacing your filter ensures the air filters are clean enough to maintain airflow and air quality. Cleaning coils improves heat transfer by removing the dirt and debris from condenser and evaporator coils. Lubricating the moving parts in your HVAC system simply reduces friction in motors, fans, and bearings to prevent any sort of mechanical failures. 

Advantages of A Preventative Maintenance Contract:

There are many advantages to investing in a preventative maintenance contract. Having a professional take care of the upkeep can reduce a lot of stress and help prevent many issues before they even get a chance to act up, which will save you a lot of money. 

Doing regular maintenance can extend your equipment's lifespan which reduces the need for replacements, prevents unexpected breakdowns with your equipment, and also improves efficiency by keeping your HVAC system clean and well-maintained. Clean and well-maintained systems consume less energy, which lowers operational costs. For instance, having filters and ducts cleaned regularly reduces allergens and pollutants which enhances the air quality inside your commercial building and in turn adheres to regulatory compliance and safety codes. Having a company that handles your Preventative Maintenance means that they will know the ins and outs of your system and will be able to keep track of any system repairs as they happen.

Challenges of Preventative Maintenance:

Remember, with anything you choose, there will be an occasional challenge. Having a preventative maintenance contract won’t always be a cure-all. 

Your HVAC system could still have unforeseen failures that even your HVAC technician couldn’t catch in time, and that will cause recurring costs and inspections. 

Warranty coverage offers financial protection against the costs of repairs or replacements for HVAC systems. Commercial warranties are either included with new equipment installations or purchased separately as part of a service contract. These warranties typically cover specific components or issues, subject to the terms outlined in the agreement.

Types of HVAC Warranties:

1. Manufacturer’s Warranty: Covers defects in materials or workmanship for a specified period after installation.  
2. Extended Warranty Plans: Optional plans that extend coverage beyond the manufacturer’s warranty.
3. Service Contracts: Agreements with HVAC service providers that include maintenance and repair coverage.

Advantages of Extended Warranty Coverage:

An extended warranty offers several advantages, including cost control by covering the financial burden of significant repairs or replacements. It helps with predictable budgeting by reducing the risk of unexpected expenses, allowing for better financial planning. Authorized technicians typically handle repairs, ensuring professional service and high-quality work. A warranty will provide you with peace of mind by protecting against high repair costs during the coverage period.

Limitations of Extended Warranty Coverage:

While warranties offer valuable protection, they also come with certain limitations. They often exclude pre-existing conditions, neglect, or issues resulting from improper maintenance. Some plans require customers to pay service fees or deductibles when filing claims. Repairs may also be subject to pre-approval processes, which can cause potential delays. Warranties are also only valid for a limited duration, leaving systems unprotected once the coverage period ends unless you decide to renew your contract.

Factors to Consider When Choosing for Commercial Buildings

The choice between preventative maintenance and warranty coverage depends on the unique needs of your commercial property.

When to Choose Preventative Maintenance:

• Older Systems: Aging HVAC equipment benefits from regular inspections to prevent breakdowns.
• High-Usage Environments: Facilities with heavy HVAC usage, such as hospitals or data centers, require frequent upkeep.
• Energy Efficiency Goals: Maintenance helps systems operate more efficiently, reducing utility costs.
• Proactive Management Style: Property managers prioritizing long-term performance over short-term fixes will value maintenance.

When to Opt for Warranty Coverage:

• New Installations: Protects against manufacturing defects or early failures.
• Budget Constraints: Helps manage costs in properties with limited repair budgets.
• Temporary Ownership: Useful for owners planning to sell the property within a few years.
• Reliable Systems: Buildings with newer, dependable HVAC systems may only need coverage for rare issues.

Combining Preventive Maintenance and Extended Warranty Coverage

Many commercial property owners combine preventative maintenance with extended warranty coverage for comprehensive protection. This approach ensures the HVAC system remains in optimal condition while providing financial security for unexpected repairs.

How to Integrate Both Approaches:

1. Coordinate Maintenance with Warranty Terms: Ensure preventative care aligns with warranty requirements to avoid voiding coverage.
2. Conduct Maintenance Before Warranty Expiration: Identify and address potential issues while coverage is still active.
3. Invest in Monitoring Tools: Use smart technology to track system performance and detect problems early.
4. Document Maintenance Activities: Maintain detailed records to streamline warranty claims and ensure compliance.
5. Evaluate Costs Regularly: Assess the cost-effectiveness of both strategies to optimize your protection plan.

To optimize your protection plan and maintain warranty coverage, it is essential to coordinate maintenance with warranty terms, ensuring that preventative care aligns with requirements so you don’t end up voiding your warranty coverage. Conducting maintenance before the warranty expires allows you to identify and address potential issues while coverage is still active. Investing in monitoring tools like smart technology helps track system performance and detect problems early. Documenting maintenance activities is crucial for streamlining warranty claims and ensuring compliance. Lastly, regularly evaluating costs ensures the cost-effectiveness of both preventative and reactive strategies, allowing for a well-optimized protection plan.

How to Move Forward

By now, you understand the key differences between preventative maintenance and warranty coverage for HVAC systems. Choosing the right approach can mean the difference between smooth operations and costly, unexpected failures. If you’re still unsure which option is best for your property, schedule a consultation with Harold Brothers today. Our HVAC experts can help you develop a customized protection plan that fits your needs and budget. At Harold Brothers, we specialize in helping commercial property owners make informed decisions about HVAC care. Let’s ensure your system remains efficient, reliable, and cost-effective. 

ptimize your protection plan and maintain warranty coverage, it is essential to coordinate maintenance with warranty terms, ensuring that preventative care aligns with requirements so you don’t end up voiding your warranty coverage. Conducting maintenance before the warranty expires allows you to identify and address potential issues while coverage is still active. Investing in monitoring tools like smart technology helps track system performance and detect problems early. Documenting maintenance activities is crucial for streamlining warranty claims and ensuring compliance. Lastly, regularly evaluating costs ensures the cost-effectiveness of both preventative and reactive strategies, allowing for a well-optimized protection plan.