If you have ever had a heating or air conditioning system start having issues, you know the stress that comes with making the decision about how to get it repaired. We want to help you consider a few things when you are thinking about repairing your current system versus upgrading to a brand new one. When making this consideration, having a resource like this to help calculate all of the costs will prove to be invaluable and put money back into your pocket. Sometimes, it makes the most financial and practical sense to pay for a repair and sometimes it makes the most sense to go ahead and upgrade to an inevitable new system. The challenge exists in deciding between the two; oftentimes, the line can be blurry and the decision becomes difficult.
Here are a few signs you should consider a repair to your heating or air conditioning system:
- Your system is leaking or you’re finding moisture around the unit. Upon an initial glance, it is almost always impossible to determine the exact culprit of the issue at hand. This signals something is loose, malfunctioning, broken, or misshapen. A problem like this probably is not going to impose any immediate threats, but it will continually erode and break down your system towards an inevitable larger issue. A new leak isn’t any reason to find a whole new system altogether, we would recommend calling a certified HVAC technician to survey the system and recommend a solution.
- Weird sounds. They happen. And while no two sounds are ever the same, it usually indicates an issue with the system. Typically, an unexpected sound comes from some piece being warped by heat and exerting extra pressure in some place that creates some odd sound. Similar to a leak, if your AC or heater is making a weird noise, give a call for an evaluation for the best repair solution. This is certainly not an emergency service, but could cause a larger issue in the future if it is ignored outright.
Alternatively, if any of the below applies, you ought to think about installing a new system altogether:
- Paying for repairs is an unfortunate, but inevitable part of having an air and heating system. And while every system has to make these repairs, making costly repairs for an older system could quickly become a sunk cost. Most systems have an average lifespan of around 10-15 years, so if your extant unit is nearing that time range, it may make more financial sense to spend a bit more on installing a new system, rather than spending money to repair an older system that will need to be replaced in the next 1-3 years regardless.
- In regards to the age of your current system, it might be time to replace it if you have had it for over 10 years. While there is no exact expiration over the function and usefulness of your AC or heating system, 10 years is on average how often an HVAC system will function at a high level. If your unit is no longer working at the level it once was, it might be time for a new one. Beyond this point, you can expect further problems and complications. Instead of throwing money into an old system that will quickly accrue problems, it will likely save you money and hassle to purchase a new system altogether
