When is the Right Time to Replace Your HVAC System?

The heat pump or air conditioner is more than 10 years old and it may be time to consider replacing it with a unit that has earned the ENERGY STAR label. If properly installed, these high-efficiency units can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs. Air conditioning systems are the main systems in your home that undergo intensive use, and if you live in a climate where all four seasons are extreme, you can run your air conditioning system almost all year round. Despite being very powerful, air conditioning systems are designed to withstand this use and last, on average, between 15 and 25 years.

These systems are often expensive to buy and install, so they're expected to last for decades, but the difference is 15 to 25 years, and there are quite a few steps you can take to extend their lifespan. It's not always the right time to replace both the air conditioner and the boiler. However, in some situations, replacing both means you can get the most out of your air conditioning system. Paying half or more of the cost of an HVAC replacement isn't an efficient use of time, money, or energy.

The heating, air conditioning, and plumbing professionals at Service Experts are here to share some warning signs to know when it's time to replace your home's HVAC system. As an expert in HVAC systems, I understand how important it is for homeowners to know when it's time to replace their units. While owning a home is that a system can break down at any time, evaluating the age and condition of your current air conditioning system can give you an idea of how much time you have left before you plan to replace it. Home warranties are not guarantees in the traditional sense of the word; they are service contracts that homeowners can purchase that significantly reduce the costs of maintaining, repairing, and replacing systems.

However, even if you wait to replace part of your air conditioning system, you will eventually have to replace it. Each component of an air conditioning system is complex and, often, what seems at first glance to be a total failure is the rapid replacement or repair of a part of one of the systems. Even better if you have a home warranty, repairing your air conditioning system won't be that expensive without a warranty and you'll save yourself the chance of replacing the entire system ahead of schedule. When their home can no longer be maintained at an adequate temperature, homeowners should start considering replacing their HVAC units.

But while there are situations where both the air conditioner and the boiler need to be replaced, there are also situations where replacing both doesn't make sense. One of the most obvious signs that it's time to replace the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system is how difficult it is to keep the house at a comfortable temperature. As a result, services and small repairs are performed more frequently and extend the overall lifespan of air conditioning systems. Then, they cover the replacement costs when it's time to replace them.

It's more expensive to replace ovens in case of emergency in the bitter winter cold than when the installation is calmly completed out of season (plus, you'll have to pay to stay somewhere else until the replacement is complete, which can take longer if requested by technicians). If you're still not sure if you need to replace your air conditioning system, the best thing to do is to ask a professional.

Suzanne Wordell
Suzanne Wordell

Food expert. Friendly zombie aficionado. Avid student. Total tv junkie. Typical bacon practitioner. Professional tea expert.