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The last thing your family wants to deal with during the hot summer months is your home’s A/C unit going on the blink.

And, the best way to prevent that from happening is to have a maintenance plan with a reputable HVAC company, and to be aware when you’re unit’s warranty will expire.

“Your A/C should receive regular maintenance every six to 12 months to prevent an emergency situation,” said Dana Spears, president of Cornerstone Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electrical in Land O’ Lakes.

“Maintaining your A/C is much like taking your vehicle in for regular oil changes and service updates. If you don’t service your vehicle, you are looking for trouble. And, if you are not doing regular maintenance on your A/C system, when you have problems, it will likely be during the hottest times of the year when your unit is working its hardest,” said Spears.

A well-maintained A/C system should continue to operate through the end of its warranty period. However, as a system gets older, it loses much of its efficiencies and begins to show its age with inconsistent hot and cold pockets, and excessive noise.

In many cases, Cornerstone’s technicians recommend replacing a system when the warranty expiration is nearing its end to avoid inevitable mechanical problems, and also to take advantage of new technology that makes A/C systems much more energy efficient.

“Often times, we find that the saving on a customer’s power bill is so significant because of the energy efficiencies of a new A/C unit, that it is more cost effective to replace a unit, than to repair it,” Spears said.

“Plus, once you begin to replace parts on an older system, repairs often add up, and it’s better to put this money into a new system,” said continued.

Many owners of newer homes are surprised to learn that the warranty on their builder-grade air conditioning system on their newly built home is only five or six years, and are unprepared for the expense when their out-of-warranty A/C needs to be repaired or replaced.

“There are thousands of homes in this area that have been built in the last 10 years, and many homeowners are not aware that their A/C is out of warranty,” said Spears. “It is much better to be proactive and look into replacing you’re A/C system before it goes down, then waiting until you are in an emergency situation.”

The new Daiken A/C systems installed by Cornerstone are of much better quality than builder-grade units, and come with 10 to12 year warranties. For most homes, the cost for a new HVAC system is between $5,500 and $12,000, depending on the unit’s seer rating and type of technology the system offers to achieve higher energy efficient levels.

“The higher the seer rating, the more expensive the unit because it uses two-stage or inverter technology and slow speeds,” Spears explains. “But, a higher seer rating is more energy efficiency and can save a family hundreds to thousands of dollars a year on their power bill.”

Spears goes on to explain that a home’s air conditioning system typically accounts for 50 percent of its power bill.

“For many families, it makes sense to go with a higher seer-rated unit because it will pay for itself within a few years. Plus, a higher quality system operates more quietly, and comes with a 12-year warranty, instead of the standard 10 years,” said Spears.

One of the biggest worries homeowners have when their old A/C unit starts having problems is the cost of repairs that keep adding up.

“It may be smarter to replace an old A/C unit, than it is to keep repairing it, which is also frustrating, time consuming and means your family will be without air conditioning for several hours to several days,” said Spears.

To help families afford a new A/C system, Cornerstone offers third party financing. Options include 18-month terms with 0 percent interest, and payments for as little as $60 a month on financing with 60-month terms.

“If your A/C system is at the end of its warranty period, give us a call. We have a large selection of equipment in stock, and there are some excellent rebates being offered by our manufacturers that will save you hundreds of dollars,” said Spears.

“And remember,” Spears adds, “that your A/C is a home appliance, just like your refrigerator. All appliances have a life span and don’t last forever.”

Cornerstone was founded in 2006 as an air conditioning service company. It moved to its 4-acre site on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard in 2011, and the following year added plumbing services. In 2014, it expanded again with electrical services.

Spears credits her company’s growth to its commitment to outstanding customer service, and also because its employees exemplify her company’s values.

“We hire people who are genuine, honest, trustworthy, clean-cut, and live their life with good ethics and morals,” said Spears. “Most employees are local people who live in our service area, and they are very committed to their work and community.”

Cornerstone phones are answered 24/7, and technicians are available around the clock, including weekends and holidays. Call (813) 990-0561 anytime, day or night.  For more information, visit their website at CornerstonePros.com.

Published July 25, 2018