Every homeowner comes to a time when he or she must decide whether to repair or replace an aging and/or malfunctioning central heating or cooling system. But how do you know that time is arriving now or in the near future? Following are some guidelines for deciding when itandrsquo;s time to upgrade HVAC equipment in your home:
AGE
If your old A/C, furnace or heat pump is nearing the end of its useful service life, begin planning for replacement. If the system is operating okay for now, thereandrsquo;s probably no urgent need to pull the trigger on an upgrade. However, it wonandrsquo;t hurt to start researching your options. A combustion furnace should last from 15-20 years while the range for an A/C or heat pump is typically 10-15 years. These life spans, of course, are advisory and donandrsquo;t take into account the amount of usage an HVAC system has received over its lifetime. Here in the mild Silicon Valley, both heating and cooling systems likely will last longer than they would in an area with extreme weather.
REDUCED ENERGY EFFICIENCY
If your older system appears to be losing energy efficiency, this could be a sign itandrsquo;s nearing the end of its service life. Higher energy bills that arenandrsquo;t linked to increased usage and/or hotter or colder weather suggest that HVAC equipment has lost some of its former efficiency.
INCREASED REPAIRS
If your aging HVAC system is breaking down more often, this could signal the machinery is wearing out. If the A/C or furnace has a major breakdown for the second time in a year, itandrsquo;s time to start looking for a replacement. The money youandrsquo;re spending on all those repairs could be better spent on a new high-efficiency HVAC system.
WANT A BETTER SYSTEM?
Even if your current, older HVAC system appears to be operating OK, you may decide that itandrsquo;s time to reduce high energy bills with a high-efficiency cooling or heating system.
To discuss whether itandrsquo;s time to upgrade HVAC equipment in your South Bay Peninsula home, please contact us at Valley Heating, Cooling, Electrical.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the South Bay Peninsula and Santa Cruz areas of California about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).