Any longtime homeowner has had to decide when it’s time to upgrade the HVAC in their home, sometimes more than once. It’s not an easy decision considering the high cost of modern heating and cooling systems and the important role they play in a home. Following are some basic guidelines on when’s the right time to upgrade your HVAC system.
Age
Obviously, age is a good signifier of when an HVAC system should be replaced. The useful service life of an A/C or heat pump is typically 12-15 years and 15-20 years for a combustion furnace. Take proactive steps toward replacement when your system nears the low end of those ranges. That way you won’t be caught totally off-guard when your old furnace gives out on the coldest day in January. Also, be aware that a furnace or A/C that are used more often (usually because of climate) will go kaput sooner than otherwise.
Efficiency
If your older central cooling or heating system begins losing efficiency (you can tell this by higher energy bills that aren’t connected to usage changes or energy rates), it may be time for a replacement system. Similarly, when an older system begins suffering from more breakdowns, that’s also a sign that replacement makes more sense than repair. If an older HVAC system suffers two major breakdowns in one year, it’s past time to stop throwing money at a failing system.
In some cases, it makes good sense to upgrade your HVAC system even if your existing equipment seems to be operating OK. In recent years, efficiency levels of cooling and heating equipment have improved substantially. If you have an older system, it likely uses a lot more energy (and money) to deliver the same amount of comfort as a modern, high-efficiency system. Monthly savings on energy bills can be a worthwhile incentive for upgrading an HVAC system.
For help deciding whether to repair or replace your older heating or cooling system, please contact us at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. We provide dependable, quality HVAC services in the Indianapolis area.
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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