According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, approximately 87% of American homes are air conditioned. Of course, the region of the country in which homeowners live influences heavily the number of hours they run their air conditioners. As one might expect, southern households use their air conditioners the most, while Northerners use them the least.

EIA statistics show that the percentage of households that run their air conditioning units throughout the entire summer varies considerably by region. For example, 38% of Western homes, 37% of Midwestern homes, and 35% of Northeastern homes use their air conditioners all summer long, while 67% of Southern homeowners run their AC units the entire summer.

The types of air conditioning systems homeowners install varies upon region, as well. Among Northeastern homes, only 44% have central air conditioning, while 85% choose to install window units. In the South, a whopping 85% of homes are equipped with central air conditioning systems, as opposed to 16% that rely on window units.

The reason that so many Southern homes utilize central AC units can be attributed to their efficiency. It’s only logical that the year-round warm weather in the South warrants more durable and efficient air conditioning units. Whereas the brief summers and long winters in North places a greater emphasis on heat, and less on air conditioning.

Regardless of the types of air conditioning units or HVAC systems homeowners have in their homes, it’s shocking that over half of them consider regular HVAC maintenance unnecessary. To the contrary, the leading heating and air conditioning companies suggest that homeowners have their HVAC systems tuned-up twice a year by a reputable AC and heating repair service. The first tune-up should be done prior to the summer, and the second before winter hits.

The EPA estimates that routine maintenance by qualified heating and air conditioning companies can reduce some homeowners’ energy bills by 15-20%. Furthermore, residential air conditioning repair companies can also provide preventative HVAC maintenance that can save homeowners hundreds, even thousands, of dollars down the road. Given the fact that it costs an average of $5363 to install a new central air conditioning unit, it’s wise to take care of the units that already installed.

While it would be nice if there were maintenance-free HVAC systems, the fact is that even the newest heating and AC systems are designed for regular maintenance. Naturally, certain parts will wear out, while others need regular replacement. The leading heating and air conditioning companies will allow homeowners to rest assured that they will never experience an HVAC breakdown, any time of the year. For more about this, go here.