Short answer

Sometimes you get more than your money’s worth, but more often, a $39 HVAC tune-up is designed as a sales opportunity, not true preventative maintenance. The price alone makes it impossible to perform a thorough, professional system check.

That doesn’t mean every low-cost tune-up is bad, but homeowners should understand what they’re actually buying.

What’s actually happening during a $39 tune-up

In most cases, one of two types of technicians is sent out for very low-cost tune-ups.

The first is a technician who is very new to the industry. New technicians need experience, and tune-ups are often used as training opportunities. While this can be valuable for them, it also means important warning signs can be missed simply because they don’t yet know to look for them.

The second type is a sales-focused technician. These technicians are often incentivized to sell system replacements. Many companies even ask the age of your equipment when scheduling a tune-up so they can send sales technicians to older systems and junior technicians to newer ones.

Neither scenario guarantees a thorough evaluation of your system.

Why companies offer $39 tune-ups in the first place

The reality is simple, no HVAC company can provide proper maintenance for $39 and stay in business.

By the time a company pays for:

• The service van

• Fuel

• Insurance

• Technician wages

• Dispatch and scheduling

They are already losing money on the visit.

The only way that loss is recovered is through selling repairs or system replacements. That’s why these tune-ups are often structured as a sales tool rather than a maintenance service.

The biggest misconception homeowners have

Most homeowners assume that all tune-ups and maintenance programs are essentially the same.

They aren’t.

A $39 tune-up and a professional HVAC maintenance visit are very different services with very different goals. One is typically a quick look meant to open a sales conversation. The other is meant to prevent breakdowns, improve safety, and extend the life of the system.

The price difference exists for a reason.

What professional HVAC maintenance actually involves

At Bigfoot, we don’t offer tune-ups. We perform full system maintenance.

That includes:

• Cleaning key system components

• Checking and tightening electrical connections

• Taking electrical readings, such as amp draws, to identify components that may be starting to fail

• Measuring temperature rise and drop to verify proper operation

• Evaluating airflow and overall system performance

• Documenting findings so homeowners understand the condition of their system

If we identify potential problem areas, we explain them clearly and provide honest options for preventative repairs, with real pricing, not scare tactics.

When cheap tune-ups cause real problems

We regularly meet homeowners who were told during a low-cost tune-up that:

• Their furnace is unsafe

• Their air conditioner uses “illegal” refrigerant

• Their system must be replaced immediately

In many cases, these claims are used to create fear and justify replacement quotes that can exceed $14,000.

If a furnace is truly unsafe, there is a legal obligation to shut it down to prevent harm. And there is no such thing as “illegal” refrigerant in a properly operating residential system. These statements are often misused to pressure homeowners into decisions they aren’t ready to make.

Are there times a $39 tune-up can be worth it?

Yes, occasionally.

Sometimes you do get a knowledgeable, honest technician who takes pride in their work, even during a low-cost visit. In those cases, homeowners may get more than their money’s worth.

The problem is that there’s no reliable way to know which experience you’ll get ahead of time.

How Bigfoot approaches maintenance differently

Our focus is comfort and safety, along with long-term reliability, not creating sales opportunities.

We take the time to properly evaluate your system and help ensure it’s ready for the upcoming season. If an issue comes up during peak heating or cooling season, Comfort Club members don’t pay diagnostic fees, and repairs we perform are backed by our Legendary Bigfoot Warranty™.

The goal is fewer surprises, fewer breakdowns, and better long-term outcomes for homeowners.