In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses across all industries are experiencing difficulties securing materials necessary to do their job and create products. You have probably read about or seen this talked about on the news, particularly in industries like construction and vehicle manufacturing.
While experts predict that this material shortage will eventually even out and return to normal, it is going to be an issue that businesses are going to have to deal with for quite some time. But, why are we talking about this? What does material shortages have to do with heating and cooling? Even more, what does this material shortage have to do with you, the average homeowner?
While it may not seem relevant to the everyday, ordinary homeowner, these raw material shortages are likely going to cause you troubles when making large purchases this year like buying a new car or replacing your HVAC system.
Here’s a little more about why the material shortage is happening and what it means for you.
Why is there a material shortage?
During the pandemic, many factories and manufacturing facilities had to scale back production or were forced to shut their doors entirely. During this time, fewer products were produced and inventories dwindled. However, while supplies shrank the demand for many of these products stayed the same and in some cases grew even larger. Think about how many people you know that took the pandemic as an opportunity to do home improvements.
Now that vaccination rates are rising and the world is coming closer and closer to going back to normal, factories are starting back up again and are experiencing huge demand and a backlog of orders. As more and more orders come in, the limited supply of materials is making it harder and harder for demands to be met in a timely manner.
Longer wait for your equipment
So, if you are trying to get a house built it is going to take longer than usual to get the lumber you need. Redoing the roof? Shingles aren’t available like they used to be. A limited supply of microchips used in cars is slowing down the manufacturing process for many automakers, so vehicles are in short supply.
You are seeing industries feeling the pain of limited supplies, and the same is happening to the HVAC industry. Copper, plastics, and even those microchips we talked about are all essential components for building air conditioners, furnaces, programmable thermostats. With these materials difficult to get their hands on, heating and cooling product manufacturers are not able to fulfill orders as fast as normal.
Identify issues now
Heading into summer, this is definitely not the best time to have to deal with a delay in getting a new air conditioner or air conditioner parts should yours have any issues or need to be replaced this year. Every minute spent without a properly functioning air conditioner can feel like a lifetime and leave you and your family feeling miserable, uncomfortable, and hot.
So, what should you do to prepare your home and family this summer in the face of material shortages? Prepare ahead! Even if you wouldn’t normally schedule your seasonal maintenance for another month or so, in 2021 it is more important than ever to plan ahead.
Scheduling your seasonal maintenance early, both for this summer and eventually the fall and winter in a few months, will give you the opportunity to identify any issues with your heating and cooling system like a part that needs to be replaced (or the worst case scenario that your air conditioner needs to be replaced entirely).
That way, you can have your order submitted early, affording you time to survive with your current system while the temperature is still relatively mild and not sweltering hot!
Hoosier Indoor Air is here to help you prepare for summer and get ahead of any issues you may experience with the material shortage currently affecting the HVAC industry. Schedule your seasonal air conditioning maintenance with us today.
Schedule online or call 317-466-7437 today.
