Repair or Replace?
A common question for many appliances and objects in our life is should I repair or replace it. Your heating and air system being one of them. While installing a new HVAC system can be expensive, so can having repair after repair on an older system. Here at O’Brien we always give different options and our honest opinion on what is best for your home. But, the final decision is up to the customer whether to repair or replace. So, here are a few factors that’ll help you decided which will benefit you most, whether to repair or replace your heating and air system.
Is your current system under any warranties?
If the parts are still under warranty, repair generally is a good option. You paid for the warranty, so you might as well use it! There are a few exceptions that warranties will not cover (such as “acts of God”). If you only have a parts warranty, you still will have to pay for the labor to diagnose the problem and replace the part. Confirm that the company checked if your system is covered by any warranties before being quoted a repair price . Also, when purchasing new system have it registered for the warranty.
The system installed in your home is not the correct size.
Whether your system is 2 years old or 15 years old, if it is not the correct sized system for your home, you’ll never receive total comfort from your system. This is why it is important to make sure before a new system is installed in your home a proper load calculation is done. If the system is too small it will run continuously to try and reach the set temperature. Though it might not be able to. If your system is too large it will shut off and turn on constantly. This creates unwanted wear, and it will be unable to remove humidity from your air causing moisture issues. Usually there are repairs that could help with the issues. Though, we typically recommend replacement if it is over or under sized and causing major comfort issues. View Trane’s site for more information on the size of an HVAC system.
Your system is Older than 12 years.
12-15 years is the average lifespan of a system in the Wilmington NC area. Here is why you should consider replacing over repairs if you start to have problems with your older system . First, due to the age, parts are going to start to show their weakness. If you make an expensive repair there is no guarantee that the next day another part will need replacing (and usually after 10 years your warranties have expired). Having several repairs can occasionally be in the same price range as a new system. So why throw your money into an older system? New systems are more energy efficient, may save money on your electric bills, and will have warranties provided.
High energy bills.
Several factors could cause high energy bills. In this instance both options to repair or replace the system could work. A bad part could be the cause, and it possibly could be an easy fix. Though, some high energy bills are due to your system being older and working hard to keep up. If this is the case replacement may be the best option. Newer systems are more energy efficient than systems manufactured 10+ years ago.
Contact O’Brien.
We hope this article helps with your decision whether to repair or replace your heating and air system. O’Brien Service Company will gladly give you our professional opinion. We do offer complimentary in home evaluations for new systems, so you can compare the costs and benefits of a replacement versus a repair. Contact our office today to schedule yours, or if you have any questions regarding whether to repair or replace your system!
