deciding on hvac system

There always comes a time when you need to decide whether it’s worth it to repair or replace your HVAC system.

New heating and cooling systems are a significant investment for your home, but expensive repairs can really add up fast.

If you’re having this dilemma, or fear that the decision is close at hand, here are 6 things for you to consider when the time comes.

1. Age of your HVAC System

If your system is older than 12 years old, this has a significant impact on your decision.

Older a/c models use freon, which is a refrigerant that is being phased out and is now expensive to replace. These older systems also cost more to repair than newer ones. This is because parts are getting harder to find.

Newer systems are more efficient and will cost less to operate. If they need repairs, they will also be cheaper to fix.

2. Problems with your system

Things like minor ductwork issues, clogged drain lines, or electrical problems are much cheaper to fix. Repairs of these types of things shouldn’t be too costly and can justify a repair to your unit rather than replacing the whole thing.

If you’re hearing words like “blower motor”, “compressor”, and “condenser coils”, these repairs or replacements are much more expensive, and often are a signal it’s time to consider replacing your system.

3. Cost of repairs

If repairs are more than 50% of the cost of a new unit, that’s a good rule to abide by when it comes time to decide whether to repair or replace.

If you have a newer system and the cost of repairs is less than 50% than the price of a new system, go ahead and repair. Also, if you have a newer system and have been keeping up on maintenance, your warranty should cover it.

Newer systems may be pricey, but they are much more efficient and will save you money in operating costs over time.

4. System Efficiency

That brings us to the topic of efficiency.

If the SEER rating on your system is on the lower end, such as <13 SEER, you may want to consider replacing instead.

Newer systems have up to 20 SEER ratings, and their high efficiency will significantly reduce operating costs.

5. Frequency of Repairs

If you’ve had to have your system repaired more than three times in the last 10 years, it’s probably time to consider replacing your system.

This means your system is more than 10 years old, and you’ve already invested a lot of money into operating costs AND repairs.

On the other hand, if your system is dependable and you’ve had to repair it two times or less, you can probably keep it going for a little while longer after a quick fix.

6. Size of Unit

If your HVAC system is the right size for your home, the system should last a long time as long as it was installed correctly and has been maintained.

Systems that are not properly sized will cycle constantly. This means they will have very poor humidity control and are also typically overworked.

When systems cycle too often, this cuts down the lifespan of your HVAC system significantly.


Repairing or Replacing Your HVAC System

If you need help and some honest input on making this decision, let us know.

At Outstanding Heating & Cooling we’re known for our honesty- just look over our Google reviews!- and have often helped customers by giving them another option after a different company has told them something different.

We can offer you a second opinion on a costly repair, or are happy to give you a free estimate on replacing your system.

Book with us online here, or contact us and let us know how we can help!

#maintenance #heatingandcooling #furnacerepair #furnaceinstallation #hvac