If your heating or cooling system keeps needing to be repaired more and more often, it’s likely time to replace your system. If you’d like to make your entire system more effective and efficient, you might want to consider replacing both your furnace and air conditioning unit at the same time. Depending on your situation, replacing both can save you money and make your entire system more efficient and effective. Read on to learn what to consider when making this decision as well as the benefits of replacing your heating and cooling systems at the same time.
To Replace or Not to Replace
If you rely heavily on your heating or cooling system, you understand why it’s stressful when it breaks down. If you’re finding that you need repairs every season or even sooner, then it might be time to replace it. Replacing your furnace or AC unit can help save you money in the long run and will provide you with a system that works more efficiently and more effectively.
When thinking about whether or not your unit needs to be replaced, you should take the following into consideration: the unit’s age, features/technology, size, capacity, environmental impact, performance effectiveness, and the frequency and cost of repairs. If your system is old or out of date, it may not run well and could be costing you more money to run it and repair it. A new boiler or air conditioner will need less repairs and maintenance and will heat or cool your home better, which can save you money (and stress!) in the long run.
The Benefits of Replacing Your Entire System at One Time
If it’s time for you to replace your furnace or air conditioner, there are benefits to replacing the entire system at the same time. These systems are connected, after all! Replacing both at the same time is better for your system’s energy efficiency and performance as well as for the health of the system overall. Doing this will keep your energy bills down, will save you multiple installations (and the associated fees), and will reduce the need for frequent repairs.
When you replace both your heating and cooling units at one time, your entire system will become a “matched” system. Furnaces and air conditioners that are “matched” are designed to work well together. Due to this, they will be more effective at heating and cooling your home and will last longer overall.
Matched systems work well primarily because their components are made to work with one another. For example, the blower or fan that is usually a part of your furnace is used for circulating both hot and cold air throughout your home. Since the blower is shared by both the heating and cooling systems, it needs to work well with both units. If you have an old blower, it can cause both your boiler and air conditioner to not work as well. Since the components in both the furnace and AC in a matched system are designed to work together, they will provide better heat or cooling to your home and use less energy.
Systems that are replaced at the same time work much better than systems that are replaced independently. When you replace a furnace or air conditioner on its own, you are mixing technologies that were made at different times, so they may not cooperate with one another as well. Mixing old and new HVAC tech can decrease the effectiveness of your heating and cooling systems and will cost you more money in energy usage, maintenance, and more. Since a matched system is designed to work together, replacing both your furnace and AC unit at the same time will help increase their efficiency as well as the health and longevity of your entire system.
When Should I Replace My System?
Now that you know the benefits of replacing your entire system at the same time, when should you do it? Furnaces often last about twenty years. Because of this, if it’s time for your furnace to be replaced, it’s likely time to replace your air conditioner as well.
While your HVAC technician will most likely let you know when it’s advisable to replace your system, you should also look into it if you notice that your heating or cooling units need to be constantly repaired or if your furnace is over 15 years old. At that point, you should consider the replacement criteria we addressed earlier. You might also want to consider replacing your system if you’re getting a high-efficiency air conditioner with SEER (or seasonal energy efficiency ratio) above 16, which should be installed with a matched furnace for efficiency purposes.
The only time when you should wait on replacing your heating and cooling system is when your furnace is less than 10 years old and functioning as expected. When your furnace is that new, we would recommend opting to repair your furnace over replacing it. As always, we can help you with any repairs or problems you might be experiencing with your heating or cooling units, so feel free to reach out to us with any questions or concerns.
If you’d like to increase the energy efficiency and performance of your heating and cooling systems, ask us about replacing both your furnace and your air conditioner at the same time. We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have and can give you advice about your specific situation. For more information, give us a call at (603) 497-4500.
