Author:
Revised:
July 8th, 2022
Once the sweltering summer days set in, what starts as a nice hot day can quickly turn into a nightmare once your AC quits working. You call your HVAC service provider or company to set up an appointment but be prepared for a wait.
Why is Summer the Busiest Time of Year for HVAC?
Summer is the busiest time of year for HVAC because of the weather. Hotter weather, especially in most of the country, usually includes humidity, which is hard to remove from your home. Especially when the temperatures hit 90 degrees or more, if your system quits working, it can quickly become miserable inside your home.
What Can I Expect When I Place a Call During the Busy Season?
At Fire & Ice, When you place a call during our busy season, which in most of the U.S. is from May through the end of August, you can expect to wait typically a week. However, during peak season, when temps reach the 90s, generally in July, you can expect to wait up to ten days for a sales appointment and the same amount of time for an installation or a service to come to your home.
The biggest thing currently impacting appointments and equipment replacements are parts and equipment shortages.
Inflation Impacting HVAC Replacement Times
Price increases typically happen twice a year in the HVAC industry. Once at the beginning of the year from updated pricing for new models and another halfway through the year, around the summer time. Currently, we are seeing steeper price increases that are happening more frequently than twice a year.
There is also a supply and demand issue; some of the equipment in the highest demand has the most significant incremental jump in price due to the raw materials needed to make them. We have had customers wait six to eight weeks for their equipment to be installed because it has been back-ordered due to this issue.
Because of this, we understand that it can be hard to commit to financing when you are not seeing your equipment for several weeks. However, most people are glad they committed to a new system when temperatures exceed 90 degrees.
Ways to Mitigate Long HVAC Replacement Times
However, there are a few solutions to the long wait times expected in the summer due to equipment shortages and wait times.
- Asking to take over any canceled appointments or keeping your schedule open for earlier times
- Purchasing older inventory, if applicable, for your job
Having More Flexibility for HVAC Appointments
In the summer, especially if your air conditioner has completely stopped working, we will reschedule to the soonest available appointment. We will also call with any availability and see if you can take an earlier appointment. Of course, you can always ask to be moved up to an earlier time if slots open earlier than your appointment.
Purchasing In-Stock HVAC Equipment
You can mitigate some of the long wait times by purchasing older inventory that we already have in stock if it is available for your specific needs. We have been offering incentives on models from the prior year or just the stock that has not moved off the shelves.
This also helps us serve other customers better because it allows us to order products and keep our equipment stocked as best as we can. This way, we can have more items in stock that are in demand, and you are not waiting as long to have your HVAC equipment installed just because you want the same popular model everyone else does.
It makes the stock more available and allows us to better replenish our back stock instead of waiting on the manufacturer to get through a shortage. Of course, it isn’t always a more affordable option, but you can sometimes get a deal by doing this.
Also, if the hot weather makes you concerned about ending up in an HVAC emergency, take precautions early. Most HVAC emergencies can be avoided if proper maintenance has taken place on your system throughout the year.
Use Maintenance Agreements to Avoid HVAC Emergencies
As mentioned above, most HVAC emergencies can be avoided if maintenance is scheduled. We recommend having your system tuned up twice per year. Once for your air conditioner and once for your furnace.
At Fire & Ice, we also have maintenance agreements for all our clients. Maintenance agreements allow you to ensure your system is running smoothly and catch problems as they arise, just like your car when you take it in for an oil change. Having a maintenance agreement helps avoid emergencies and can help you be prepared to order equipment.
We have three different options for agreements: Better, Best, and Fantastic. For a complete list of services in our available maintenance agreements, check out our Services Page.
Instead of going into detail on the features of our maintenance plans, we will talk about some of the highlighted features that are included in our maintenance plans.
Repair Warranty
Repair warranties for replacement parts sometimes last as little as 60 days from the manufacturer. Our three maintenance agreements extend this warranty to one, two, and three years. So you will have peace of mind knowing that a repair wasn’t done just to collect a paycheck and get your system running for a short time. If we are not confident the repair will last for years, we won’t do it, and you’re covered regardless.
Lifetime Workmanship Guarantee
At Fire & Ice, we guarantee the following items for the lifetime of the equipment against defects in materials or workmanship from the date the system is installed:
- All ductwork we install
- All ductwork insulation we install
- Other items we install including sheet metal straps, clamps, fasteners, hangers, locks, drivers, drain piping, and fittings
- All high-voltage electrical wiring, wire nuts, straps, ties, and connectors we install
- All refrigerant piping we install (does not include the cost to gain access to underground or other inaccessible piping)
- Refrigerant insulation we install
- All equipment pads, stands, jacks, and vibration elimination devices we install
High-quality maintenance is what allows us to offer this unique guarantee. The only requirement to keep this protection in force for the lifetime of the equipment is to renew your annual maintenance program when it becomes due.
We’ve honored this agreement on those rare occasions when the work is done improperly. As a company, we pride ourselves on attention to detail, but no HVAC contractor is beyond fault. Having a guarantee like this is a protection for the customer.
No Overtime Fees
If you hire a contract employee, they are usually paid by the job, and you risk them doing a quick, poor job simply to rush to the next one. But if they’re paid hourly, a homeowner might worry about extended jobs. Protections like this are designed to hold a repair technician accountable, keep a company responsible, and standardize customer costs.
Collective Energy Savings
Equipment tune-ups, free filter replacements, and evaporator or blower cleanings add up. All the reasons we discussed earlier apply to these everyday tasks, and guaranteeing that you’re having them done when they’re needed (often at a reduced cost) will benefit you over your system's life.
Ways to Save When Upgrading Your HVAC
Many customers are having intense sticker shock when seeing the price of their new equipment, but there are ways to make things affordable other than purchasing a unit we already have in stock, including:
- Seasonal incentives
- Financing options
Take Advantage of Seasonal HVAC Incentives
Waiting to upgrade parts of your equipment in the off-season when you aren’t using them can result in a better price. For example, upgrading your air conditioner in the fall can be cheaper than upgrading it during the summer when it is being used. Likewise, your furnace can be upgraded in the summer when it is likely not used.
No one puts ice on sale in the summer, so that’s one of the advantages of this industry. We don’t necessarily have an off-season, but our peak season is summer, so everyone usually runs some sort of incentive in the fall and spring. They will be different depending on the company, but shop around during these seasons and see what is available.
However, be reasonable with expectations. Just because it is outside of the busy season does not mean that everything is suddenly going to be half price, companies still need to make money, but it is not wrong to assume that there is a deal to be had that may help offset your costs.
Utilize Financing Options for HVAC Equipment
Additionally, ask about their financing options for any HVAC contractor or company you select. For example, at Fire & Ice, we offer options for our customers to finance their products with three primary payment options to suit your needs.
- Purchasing Your HVAC Solution in Full
- Financing for HVAC Solutions
- Purchasing with Bitcoin
Purchase Your Fire & Ice HVAC Solution in Full
If you’re ready to pay for your new HVAC system in full, we accept a few payment options:
- Cash
- Check, including ACH digital checks
- All major credit and debit cards
Financing for Fire & Ice HVAC Solutions
We offer a few financing options for making payments on your new equipment.
Some of our financing options include:
- 0% interest for up to 72 months on qualifying equipment
- No interest if paid in full within six and up to 18 months
- Lower monthly payments with interest
For more detailed information about financing options and things to look for when financing an HVAC, visit our financing article and our financing page.
Be Prepared to Better Protect Your HVAC
Whether it is being prepared to wait for your appointment, selecting an already in-stock model that fits your needs, or signing up for a maintenance agreement to help prevent HVAC disasters, there are actions you can take to be prepared during the busy season. We are also available to answer any questions about your specific situation.
If you are in the central Ohio area and ready to take the next step toward setting up an appointment, feel free to call us. Use the zipcode map below to check if you’re in our service area.
To schedule an appointment for an estimate, use the button below.
