How to Know When It’s Time to Replace HVAC Equipment

You’ve done your part as a responsible homeowner or business owner and ensured regular maintenance and cleaning is done for your building’s HVAC equipment. However, something still seems off. Is there a funny smell coming from the A/C or furnace? Are you hearing things go bump in the night when there shouldn’t be? How’s your hot water situation? Is that a dust bunny in the corner?

Knowing when it’s time to replace your current HVAC equipment is as important as it is to regularly maintain and clean it. However, as great as these systems are, nothing lasts forever and that’s very much true for the case of HVAC. Here’s how to know when it’s really time to retire the systems and get new ones installed.

Age of the Machines

Knowing how old your current systems are can make a difference in energy bills. When was the last time you checked on how old the machines in your house or building are? If the answer is “I don’t remember”, that may be sign number one to consider replacing the equipment.

When maintained properly, an A/C unit can last up to 10-15 years, while a furnace should be able to last from 10-20 years and even beyond 20, in some cases. Unmaintained systems will only last from 8-12 years, however. If the age gap is past these numbers plus maintenance has not been applied, it may be time to retire the system for a new one.

Noises

Any sound that seems out of the ordinary to you is worth a closer look. You should trust yourself and your own judgment when it comes to noises from your HVAC, because in the first place you shouldn’t hear anything, or at least you should hear very little. Noises like knocking, grinding, or whining to name a few are all causes for concern. A noisy system can mean a few things; either the system’s evaporator coil has a problem, or the equipment in question is undersized (it’s too small to do its heating or cooling job).

Humidity

In the case of A/C, if there’s excess humidity arising from the unit itself or against the windows, or anywhere there shouldn’t be water droplets, that’s a sign the unit is wearing down. The air should not be too dry in the winter or too wet and soggy in the summer. If it is in both cases, it’s a sign you need to check for one or more of the following issues: dying equipment, poor installation work (especially if the system is newly installed), and inadequate insulation.

Dust

There should not be enormous amounts of dust flying up into the air when you have properly working HVAC equipment and ventilation. The ducts attached to your systems should not have excess dust clinging to them either. However, a leaking duct can draw out the dust from crawl spaces, attics, and basements and re-distribute it into other areas in the house or building.

Dust isn’t the only thing leaky ducts will pull either; pollutant air particles and debris may be pulled out as well! Usually resealing the ducts does the trick, but if these ducts are connected to your heating and cooling systems and the problem returns after sealing anyway, it’s time for a serious examination and potential replacement.

Repairs Happen all the Time

A system that needs to be constantly repaired after it continues breaking down means it’s definitely time to retire it! By applying repairs over and over instead, you’re basically throwing away what money you could be using to replace the system instead. It in fact costs less money to replace a system altogether than it would to repair it repeatedly (so long as the installation is done correctly in the first place).

Your Energy Bills Have Gone Up…Again

In addition to one or more of these points, your energy bills are really one of the main ways to find out it’s time to replace your heating and cooling systems. It’s one of the first indications something is wrong and also one of the most unpleasant! An efficient and newer system should not be raising the energy bills, but instead lowering them and keeping them at a low cost. If the bills are higher than they should be, and the cost is coming from your system, that’s a sign to replace your equipment.

Before you decide it’s time to fully replace your HVAC system, whether it’s the A/C or the furnace, consult with a professional technician. They can help figure out how old your system is, how well it’s been maintained, and if necessary the types of repairs that are needed. They can find out if it’s really time to retire the system or if it’s still got some years left. You won’t know unless you ask!

Perhaps we can help? At Rep-Air Heating And Cooling we provide our customers with many options that will best suit your needs from heating and cooling to refrigeration. Contact us today for your complimentary quote: 1-844-218-3362 or contact@repairheatingandcooling.com and don’t forget to take a look at our website: https://repairheatingandcooling.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for free giveaways!