Repair or Replace an Air Conditioning or Heating System
While there are many variables in any home, the main deciding factors regarding repair or replacement of your air conditioning and heating system are not difficult.
One of the most direct points to consider regarding replacement of your HVAC system is simply its age. Do you have a system that is more than 10 years old? Even if it still runs dependably, you still might be better off with a new one. The physical life of air conditioning equipment, similar to personal computers, can often be longer than its economic life. If they have been well maintained, the air conditioning system can last up to about 15 years.
When weighing the costs and benefits of repairing or replacing older equipment with more efficient HVAC equipment, keep the following points in mind:
Fuel costs tend to go up more than down over the long run.
The monthly savings continue after you reach the “break even” or “pay back” period on the new equipment.
Replacing All or Part of An Air Conditioning and Heating System
According to studies found, due to the fact that the furnace and heating equipment can last up to 50% longer than the major air conditioning components, the decision comes up frequently.
Matching the compatibility of the air conditioning and heating equipment must be considered. They share some equipment, such as the blower.
Two major determinants of your long-term satisfaction with air conditioning and heating equipment will always be the quality of the original load calculations and the installation followed up with regularly scheduled maintenance.
If you don’t replace all the equipment, you may not be entitled to the same rebates, tax credits, or other financial incentives you would otherwise.
When you consider that the new equipment would have a higher efficiency rating and a manufacturer’s warranty, the advantages become even clearer.
Reasons why you would might choose to repair rather than replace an aging air conditioning and heating system.
Due to rising energy and labor costs plus environment concerns, replacing marginal systems often makes sense. However, there are some scenarios where you might choose to repair an aging air conditioning system. Examples:
The home is near the end of its structural or economic life and may be removed in the near future.
The home “envelope” is inefficient for energy use to the degree that it requires repair before you can justify installing new higher efficiency equipment. In this case it probably makes more sense to seal the structure before or at the same time as the installation of the new air conditioning and heating system.
Cash or reasonably affordable financing for new equipment or efficiency improvements to the structure are simply not available.
You are planning to move from the home relatively soon, and you believe the next owner will make significant structural changes (addition of a second floor, raising the ceilings, etc.). In this case the value of the installation would be discounted by the new owner.
We hope that this page has made your decision much easier and provided you some peace of mind. If you have any further questions or would like to schedule a consultation, please feel free to contact Air Repair Inc. at 972-625-1400.