The HVAC unit in my house is 8 years old. When the main warranty ran out after 5 years, my husband and I started having an annual tune-up. The annual HVAC tune-up is a great way to stay on top of large problems. The HVAC tune-up is performed by a certified professional. During the HVAC tune-up, all of our system components are evaluated. This includes many of the mechanical and electronic parts. During the HVAC tune-up, the certified professional also checks our ductwork, air filter, and air vents. The whole HVAC appointment takes about an hour to complete. If there are any major issues, the HVAC technician can catch them during the annual tune-up inspection. Last time we had our annual inspection, the HVAC technician found our Freon levels to be low. He added some Freon during the appointment. If we didn’t have an annual inspection, we would not have realized the freon was low until the air conditioner was not working. Since the HVAC technician caught this problem early, we saved ourselves a service appointment later in the year. My husband and I have the car serviced yearly, and our home appliances receive the same attention. I think proper yearly service is important for many home appliances. The HVAC unit is expensive to replace, but so is the refrigerator, washing machine, and home computer. If my home computer was making noises or running slowly, I would have it serviced. If the family car needed service, we wouldn’t wait days or months. The same should be true for the HVAC system as well.