Homeowners shopping for an HVAC maintenance plan usually run into the same problem: every company describes their plan a little differently, and it is hard to compare “priority service” or “discounted parts” from one contractor to the next without knowing exactly what those terms mean. This guide breaks down what a maintenance plan typically covers, what questions to ask before signing up, and what Fortis Heating & Air Conditioning’s own plans include for Durham Region homeowners.
What an HVAC Maintenance Plan Usually Covers
At its core, a maintenance plan is a service agreement that bundles regular inspections with ongoing benefits like discounted repairs and priority scheduling. Most plans are built around at least one seasonal tune-up per covered system each year, where a technician checks components that quietly wear down over time, such as electrical connections, refrigerant levels, filters, and moving parts, before they turn into a mid-winter or mid-summer breakdown.
Beyond the inspection itself, the value in a maintenance plan usually comes from the extras attached to it: priority scheduling when something does go wrong, a reduced diagnostic or service call fee, and discounts on parts or future equipment. Those add-on benefits vary more from company to company than the inspection itself does, which is exactly why it is worth reading the fine print.
What the Fortis Comfort Plan and Comfort Plus Plan Include
Fortis Heating & Air Conditioning offers two maintenance plan tiers for Durham Region homeowners. The FORTIS Comfort Plan is $9.99 per month plus HST and covers one system (furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump). It includes a free annual maintenance inspection and cleaning while enrolled, a discounted diagnostic service call fee of $99 plus HST, 10% off parts, priority service, and a 5% discount on new equipment purchases.
The FORTIS Comfort Plus Plan is $16.99 per month, or $249 per year, and covers two systems, such as a furnace plus an air conditioner, or a furnace plus a heat pump. It includes the same core benefits as the Comfort Plan, free annual inspection and cleaning, the $99 plus HST discounted diagnostic fee, 10% off parts, priority service, and the 5% new-equipment discount, extended across both covered systems. Boilers, fireplaces, and tankless water heaters are available under the plan at $13.99 per month, and full terms and conditions apply to both tiers.
Is an HVAC Maintenance Plan Worth It?
Whether a maintenance plan pays for itself depends on your equipment’s age, how often you have needed repairs in the past, and how much you value not having to remember to book a seasonal tune-up yourself. Homeowners who have been caught by a surprise diagnostic fee during an emergency call, or who have let a filter change or seasonal check slip and later dealt with a bigger repair, tend to get the most value from a plan’s discounted service call fee and free annual inspection alone.
Members on the FORTIS plans typically save $60 to $120 per year on service and repairs under the Comfort Plan, or $100 to $180 per year under Comfort Plus, according to the plan’s published savings estimates. Even homeowners with a newer system often find the priority scheduling and reduced diagnostic fee worthwhile heading into a Durham Region winter, when emergency furnace calls are hardest to book quickly.
What Regular HVAC Maintenance Actually Checks
A thorough seasonal visit typically includes inspecting and tightening electrical connections, checking refrigerant charge on cooling equipment, testing safety controls, cleaning or replacing filters, inspecting the heat exchanger on a furnace, checking blower components, and confirming the thermostat is communicating correctly with the system. Skipping these checks does not usually cause an immediate failure, but it does shorten equipment life and increase the odds of a breakdown during the season you need the system most.
A technician will also typically check condensate drainage on both furnaces and air conditioners, since a clogged drain line is a common cause of water damage in Durham Region basements, and confirm that outdoor components like an AC condenser or heat pump unit are clear of debris, leaves, and any obstructions that restrict airflow. Combustion appliances, including gas furnaces and gas fireplaces, also get a safety check to confirm venting is clear and carbon monoxide risk is minimized.
ENERGY STAR’s maintenance checklist describes common seasonal service items, including electrical connections and condensate drains.
When to Schedule Your HVAC Maintenance Visits
Timing matters as much as the inspection itself. Spring is the ideal window for an air conditioner tune-up, before the first real heat wave puts the system to the test, while fall is the right time for a furnace check, ahead of the first cold snap when emergency repair bookings get harder to find. Homeowners on a single-system plan generally schedule one seasonal visit tied to whichever equipment they have covered, while a two-system Comfort Plus plan lines up naturally with both a spring AC visit and a fall furnace visit each year.
Booking early in each season, rather than waiting until the first hot or cold stretch of weather, also tends to mean shorter scheduling windows, since HVAC companies across Durham Region see a predictable spike in both maintenance and emergency repair calls once the weather turns.
Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Maintenance Plan
Before enrolling in any maintenance plan, confirm exactly which systems are covered, how many visits are included per year, what the discounted service call fee actually is, whether parts discounts apply to all repairs or only certain categories, and whether priority scheduling has any blackout periods during peak season. A plan that sounds similar to a competitor’s on the surface can look very different once you compare these specifics side by side.
It is also worth asking whether the new-equipment discount applies toward a full system replacement down the road, and whether financing options are available if a repair turns out to be a replacement instead. Fortis offers financing options for furnace and air conditioning projects, subject to provider approval and current terms, which can be a useful detail to confirm alongside plan coverage if your equipment is getting older.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth it to get an HVAC maintenance plan?
For most homeowners, the combination of a free annual inspection, a reduced diagnostic fee, and priority scheduling during peak season makes a plan worthwhile, especially for a furnace or air conditioner more than a few years old.
What should be included in an HVAC maintenance contract?
At minimum, look for a seasonal inspection, a defined service call or diagnostic fee, priority scheduling, and clear terms on which systems and repairs are covered.
Can I do HVAC maintenance myself?
Homeowners can handle basic tasks like regular filter changes, but electrical connections, refrigerant checks, and heat exchanger inspections require a licensed technician with the right tools and training.
Do you really need annual HVAC maintenance?
Annual maintenance is one of the most reliable ways to avoid a mid-season breakdown and keep a system running at its rated efficiency, particularly through Durham Region’s cold winters and humid summers.
What should I include in my annual HVAC maintenance checklist?
At minimum, a seasonal checklist should cover filter changes, electrical connection checks, refrigerant levels on cooling equipment, condensate drain clearing, thermostat calibration, and a safety check on any gas-burning equipment such as a furnace or gas fireplace.
If you want to compare plan coverage for your furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump, our team can walk you through the FORTIS Comfort Plan and Comfort Plus options and help you choose the right fit for your home. Call Fortis Heating & Air Conditioning at (289) 688-4822 or contact us online to schedule your first maintenance visit.
