It cannot be overstated how important it is to stay up-to-date with service and maintenance on your HVAC equipment. Old systems are like old automobiles, there is a long list of intricate components that each have their own durability and life spans. Unless a professional is monitoring your equipment on a semi-regular basis, you can’t be sure what is about ready to break until the exact moment the device fails and you’re stuck without AC in damp summer heat waiting on a service call. A professional can visually check every component in your HVAC setup to ensure everything is not just working properly, but also working as efficiently as possible. An old, clogged air filter is enough to cause noticeable performance drops on your air conditioner. Therefore, you can’t be sure if a block is present somewhere unless someone trained to find them takes a look on a quarterly basis. Even if you don’t mind the idea of waiting on a furnace repair wearing sweatpants and layers of shirts and hoodies around the house, you’ll still end up paying less money if you replace failing components before they break and damage components that are in otherwise good shape. It’s also foolish to trust your system is working at peak capacity if you’re in the dead middle of the hottest summer heat wave and relying on every last bit of power from that air conditioner to stop you from keeling over and biting the dust. If you keep your system checked and maintained on a regular basis, you will prevent headaches and nightmares that will only cost you more money and your sanity in the long run.