Most Florida homeowners will eventually face the question—do I repair or replace my HVAC equipment?  If your current system is old, noisy and inefficient, you may be wondering the same thing yourself.

Are your energy bills steadily climbing each year?  Are you just not as comfortable in your home anymore?  These are just two signs that your system may need to be replaced.  There are some advantages to replacing your system over repairing it.  We’ll go over a few of them here.

Lower monthly utility bills
As fuel costs go up, are electricity and gas bills from cooling and heating straining your monthly budget? As energy supplies dwindle and production costs and demand rise, the cost of electricity and gas are bound to go up.

New air conditioning and heating equipment is steadily getting more efficient.  When you combine the efficiency of a new air conditioning and heating system (using up to 50% less electricity or fuel) with the replacement or sealing of leaky ductwork (saving up to 27%, depending on the condition), you can save a lot of money on your monthly energy bills.

Fewer costly repairs
Money spent on repairs of an aging HVAC system could instead be going toward a new, more efficient unit.  Get a total on your repair bills for the past 2 or so years.  What percentage of the cost of a new system have you spent already?  Did you replace any major components, such as the compressor, evaporator or condenser coils, or the heat exchanger?  At the rate you are likely to spend, how many years would it take to pay for an entirely new system with its additional benefits?

Rebates, tax incentives, and low or no interest loans
To take advantage of rebates, tax credits, and special financing offers from manufacturers or your local HVAC contractor, you will likely need to purchase new air conditioning and heating equipment.  Financial incentives are generally not offered on equipment repair.

Better comfort
Do you have hot spots in your home in the summer and cold ones during the winter months?  Does your oversized A/C turn on and off quickly, but leave the air in your rooms feeling damp?  Your new system will deliver more comfort to your home. Why?  An HVAC system with too much capacity cycles on and off too quickly, which doesn’t allow time to adequately “condition” the air.  Also, if your system was undersized (or has leaking ducts) it will often not heat or cool adequately overall or in certain areas.

Greater reliability
Equipment breakdowns of older units tend to occur during the time of heaviest usage—on the hottest or coldest days when you need air conditioning or heating the most.  It is better to plan ahead than to have to compete with  other HVAC customers when they also need service from your HVAC contractor.

Quieter operation
Both the outside components and indoor air handlers have gotten quieter in the past few years.  With quieter new equipment, you can enjoy the inside areas nearest your air handler.

Environmentally-friendly
If the payback period from a financial point of view will take longer than you expected, consider this: diverting your monthly spending from higher energy and repair costs to new equipment helps save fossil fuels and slow CO2 emissions.  Though difficult to place a specific dollar amount upon, it makes sense to consider this benefit.

Replacing your current system may be the answer to your home comfort issues.  Before you make a decision, consult with one of our techs to determine which option is best for you.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about replacing your air conditioning system and other HVAC topics, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Conditioned Air services Southwest Florida including cities Marco Island, Ft. Myers or anywhere in between.  To get started, check out our website or see our special offers.