Among the main factors you should consider when buying a house is the condition, age and type of HVAC system that’s serving the home. In some cases, an old or ineffective cooling or heating system in a home under consideration can be a deal-breaker unless the seller agrees to replace or repair the equipment before the sale goes through.
Following are a few of the questions that you should be asking about your potential new home’s HVAC system:
How old is the heating and cooling system? The difference between a relatively new HVAC system and one that’s near the end of its service life involves not just how close the equipment is to retirement, but also how efficiently an old system uses energy and the level of comfort it’s able to provide. The seller should be able to document the age of the HVAC system in the house he’s trying to sell.
How efficiently does the home’s HVAC system consume energy? Your best bet is a high-efficiency HVAC system, whether furnace, A/C or heat pump. You’ll pay lower energy bills every month while helping the environment.
What type of advanced features is the home’s HVAC system outfitted with? Ideally, the heating and cooling system should have variable-speed, multi-stage components that allow it to adapt its running speed/strength to real-time conditions, rather than running full blast all the time.
What type of system does the home have? Avoid situations where portable or room units are cooling and/or heating the home. An exception would be ductless mini-split A/C or heat pump units, which provide localized comfort, convenience and efficiency.
Is the HVAC system’s service and maintenance history available to inspect? A well-maintained cooling or heating system will last longer and work more efficiently than one where maintenance has been neglected.
What are the home’s average cooling and heating costs for each month of the year? You don’t want to invest in a home that’s an energy hog.
For more advice on HVAC concerns when buying a house in the Indianapolis area, please contact us at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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