Replacing HVAC

[LoveSpringsteen]

This is my first thread! Here’s my dilemma. We currently live in a house built in the early 60’s. Our gas furnace is the original furnace! It still works great. Our house is comfortable in the winter and my gas bill is reasonable. I have it serviced annually. Our AC is over 20 years old and also works fine. Obviously, we should get the furnace replaced. I have obtained quotes to replace the furnace and certain ductwork will need to be replaced because what we have now won’t line up (?) correctly with the new furnace. And, it’s one of those things where it just makes sense to replace the AC at the same time because it’s likely nearing the end of its life and replacing it later on will increase cost slightly.

The quotes for a new, high efficiency furnace and AC are in the $9K range.

I’m having the hardest time making a decision to spend this money. My husband does want to get them replaced. We can afford to pay in full, but I worry about the “what-if’s”.

I always struggle with these big financial decisions. Anyone else?

 

[momz]

This is my first thread! Here’s my dilemma. We currently live in a house built in the early 60’s. Our gas furnace is the original furnace! It still works great. Our house is comfortable in the winter and my gas bill is reasonable. I have it serviced annually. Our AC is over 20 years old and also works fine. Obviously, we should get the furnace replaced. I have obtained quotes to replace the furnace and certain ductwork will need to be replaced because what we have now won’t line up (?) correctly with the new furnace. And, it’s one of those things where it just makes sense to replace the AC at the same time because it’s likely nearing the end of its life and replacing it later on will increase cost slightly.

The quotes for a new, high efficiency furnace and AC are in the $9K range.

I’m having the hardest time making a decision to spend this money. My husband does want to get them replaced. We can afford to pay in full, but I worry about the “what-if’s”.

I always struggle with these big financial decisions. Anyone else?

Let me get this straight, your furnace "works great" and your AC "works fine". Why are you replacing?

I would save until the replacement is necessary. But that's just me.

 

[lynxstch]

We had the same issue 1 1/2 years ago. Gas furnace was original to the house (we bought in 2002, no idea when that furnace was put in), and we only had window AC's. The furnace wasn't working right, it certainly wasn't very energy efficient anymore, and they had issues getting parts to fix one that old. We decided to replace furnace and add central air. We lucked out, we did it just before Covid struck, and got a heck of a price on high efficiency units, paid $5500). We got the last ones the dealer had in stock, and had it installed within 3 days. I have heard that quotes for it now are about what you were given for one

It was the best decision we ever made. Our gas bill and elec bill have gone down considerably since they were put it. I know it's a hard decision to make, but in this case, since you say you have the money, I agree with your husband. GO FOR IT!

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

Let me get this straight, your furnace "works great" and your AC "works fine". Why are you replacing?

I would save until the replacement is necessary. But that's just me.

That is what I thought for years, but my furnace is now 60 years old. It’s working, but I feel like we’re on borrowed time (which is an understatement). I’m also very risk adverse and safety conscious. I’m a survivor of a house fire. So all this is weighing on my mind plus spending this big chunk of change on working equipment.

 

[fla4fun]

Let me get this straight, your furnace "works great" and your AC "works fine". Why are you replacing?

I would save until the replacement is necessary. But that's just me.

I can see both sides of this. Usually I am inclined to wait until replacement is necessary. However, if there is a long lead time to get the product (due to supply chain issues or whatever), you could find yourself without heat or air at a time you need it the most. Also, due to limited supplies, you could find yourself incurring a significant price increase by only waiting a month or so. Things are a little different right now.

So right now I weigh the inconvenience of being without the item for a month or two against replacing something that has a few months of life yet. For heat or AC, I would not want to be without either when it is needed. However, if it was my fridge making a funny noise, I could wait because I have a second fridge in the basement to tide me over until I could replace the primary one.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

We had the same issue 1 1/2 years ago. Gas furnace was original to the house (we bought in 2002, no idea when that furnace was put in), and we only had window AC's. The furnace wasn't working right, it certainly wasn't very energy efficient anymore, and they had issues getting parts to fix one that old. We decided to replace furnace and add central air. We lucked out, we did it just before Covid struck, and got a heck of a price on high efficiency units, paid $5500). We got the last ones the dealer had in stock, and had it installed within 3 days. I have heard that quotes for it now are about what you were given for one

It was the best decision we ever made. Our gas bill and elec bill have gone down considerably since they were put it. I know it's a hard decision to make, but in this case, since you say you have the money, I agree with your husband. GO FOR IT!

Thank you. I appreciate this. I got a quote a year ago and prices have increased $1K since then.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

I can see both sides of this. Usually I am inclined to wait until replacement is necessary. However, if there is a long lead time to get the product (due to supply chain issues or whatever), you could find yourself without heat or air at a time you need it the most. Also, due to limited supplies, you could find yourself incurring a significant price increase by only waiting a month or so. Things are a little different right now.

So right now I weigh the inconvenience of being without the item for a month or two against replacing something that has a few months of life yet. For heat or AC, I would not want to be without either when it is needed. However, if it was my fridge making a funny noise, I could wait because I have a second fridge in the basement to tide me over until I could replace the primary one.

Thank you. That is my husband’s thinking as well.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Our house was built in 1995. Moved in 2016 and had only the one owner (original) before us. We have 2 furnaces and 3 AC units that were all original to the house. We replaced 2 AC units and 1 furnace about 3 years ago. The new AC unit was not compatible with the new furnace and vice versa. Cost was $20,000. We still have 1 more AC and 1 more furnace to replace and that was priced at $7000 a while ago but I'm sure with inflation it has increased. We get routine check and maintenance 2x a year and have been told the best time to buy a new AC/Furnace is starting in October to January. We haven't replaced the last two yet (so many other things being done in the house), but when we do, it will be during those months. We purchased thru the company that maintains our equipement. Had zero percent to finance and got very good rebates from Lenox, I think total about $300 -$400 dollars. We made extra payments and paid it off early.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

Our house was built in 1995. Moved in 2016 and had only the one owner (original) before us. We have 2 furnaces and 3 AC units that were all original to the house. We replaced 2 AC units and 1 furnace about 3 years ago. The new AC unit was not compatible with the new furnace and vice versa. Cost was $20,000. We still have 1 more AC and 1 more furnace to replace and that was priced at $7000 a while ago but I'm sure with inflation it has increased. We get routine check and maintenance 2x a year and have been told the best time to buy a new AC/Furnace is starting in October to January. We haven't replaced the last two yet (so many other things being done in the house), but when we do, it will be during those months. We purchased thru the company that maintains our equipement. Had zero percent to finance and got very good rebates from Lenox, I think total about $300 -$400 dollars. We made extra payments and paid it off early.

Thank you for this information. There is a $400 rebate from our gas company and I can finance if it want to. The company will also give us $200 off if we pay in full.

 

[rwdavis2]

The price is not bad. You will save on the electric bill now if you replace the AC. If either system fails how long will it take to get someone to replace it?

Maybe get someone to inspect it all first.?

 

[lynxstch]

@LoveSpringsteen--you said --Thank you for this information. There is a $400 rebate from our gas company and I can finance if it want to. The company will also give us $200 off if we pay in full.

I believe that there is still also an energy credit you can claim when you file your taxes. At least there was when we did it.

We got ours in October,,but with the delay in shipping and the low supply of inventory, if you are going to do it, I would suggest at least looking into it now, in case it takes till Oct when you start needing heat. I see you are in Ohio..we are in Western MD, so your weather and temps are pretty much the same as ours

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

The price is not bad. You will save on the electric bill now if you replace the AC. If either system fails how long will it take to get someone to replace it?

Maybe get someone to inspect it all first.?

Thank you for this advice. We are actually having trouble getting a company to do the annual service on the furnace. The one company that gave us a quote is the only ones who will service it now and only the one technician who still knows this old equipment.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

@LoveSpringsteen--you said --Thank you for this information. There is a $400 rebate from our gas company and I can finance if it want to. The company will also give us $200 off if we pay in full.

I believe that there is still also an energy credit you can claim when you file your taxes. At least there was when we did it.

We got ours in October,,but with the delay in shipping and the low supply of inventory, if you are going to do it, I would suggest at least looking into it now, in case it takes till Oct when you start needing heat. I see you are in Ohio..we are in Western MD, so your weather and temps are pretty much the same as ours

Ah I’ll have to look into that energy credit. Thank you! The company said the current lead time is about 4-6 weeks, but a very valid point to consider. Thank you

 

[barkley]

you've gotten quotes for replacement but have you spoken to a local to your reputable company to determine the current status of the systems (including safety) and the viability/availability of parts in the event of a a major malfunction? i ask b/c i've dealt with a many decades old system(s) in a prior home we owned as well as the current in our home which is nearing 20 years. with our prior when it went down we assumed we would have to replace it but when it was looked at by a repair company we found that they could repair it for a relatively small amount (they had the part fabricated custom for it). that system lasted us another decade (may still be working for people we sold to). our current system has had some problems over the past couple of years but we have a service contract w/a local company that costs us a few hundred per year. they've repaired it with no problems in getting parts largely b/c it's older and doesn't use all the electronics that newer models employ (and are among the hardest to acquire these days). last year the owner of the company and i spoke about thinking of replacement vs. repair at some point. he spoke to energy efficiency but what i would potentially save on a yearly basis would take me DECADES to recoup the replacement cost (even with rebates). i asked if the unit was safe (yes), if even in the worst case scenario it could be repaired in a timely manner for less than a replacement would run (yes). i told him my thoughts on keeping it and he had to agree that dollar wise we would be ahead of the game for several years.

if you have a reputable company that offers yearly service contracts you could inquire about one-they do a safety and overall inspection to set it up (often at little to no cost or the cost is applied to the first year's premium).


p.s. if your home is older and the system is from the 1960's-have you checked to see if you will have any expenses in addition to the new system/installation for permitting and bringing certain aspects of your home up to current code? i ask b/c that was a HUGE consideration for our prior home w/ certain systems-we were grandfathered into old code but had we replaced our heating/cooling or hot water tank we would have had to spend a significant chunk to meet the then current building codes (which was something that the older more established companies in that area were aware of and had us research but the newer/box stores like home depot and such were either ignorant of or just focused on getting the sales contract signed b/c they failed to even mention it or figure it into the their estimates).

 

[Kennywood]

If you're a member of Costco, I would suggest getting a quote from them. You could get money back in the form of a Costco gift card:



We had to have both our furnace and A/C replaced. We went through Costco, had the work done, and got a VERY large return on a Costco gift card. We also upgraded our membership to the Executive level, so we'll be getting an additional 2% Costco "reward".

We are VERY happy with our new HVAC system and the contractor did an outstanding job.

Even if you're not currently a Costco member, it might be worth getting an Executive membership (for at least a year) and a quote on your HVAC needs.

Costco / Lennox HVAC Offer

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

you've gotten quotes for replacement but have you spoken to a local to your reputable company to determine the current status of the systems (including safety) and the viability/availability of parts in the event of a a major malfunction? i ask b/c i've dealt with a many decades old system(s) in a prior home we owned as well as the current in our home which is nearing 20 years. with our prior when it went down we assumed we would have to replace it but when it was looked at by a repair company we found that they could repair it for a relatively small amount (they had the part fabricated custom for it). that system lasted us another decade (may still be working for people we sold to). our current system has had some problems over the past couple of years but we have a service contract w/a local company that costs us a few hundred per year. they've repaired it with no problems in getting parts largely b/c it's older and doesn't use all the electronics that newer models employ (and are among the hardest to acquire these days). last year the owner of the company and i spoke about thinking of replacement vs. repair at some point. he spoke to energy efficiency but what i would potentially save on a yearly basis would take me DECADES to recoup the replacement cost (even with rebates). i asked if the unit was safe (yes), if even in the worst case scenario it could be repaired in a timely manner for less than a replacement would run (yes). i told him my thoughts on keeping it and he had to agree that dollar wise we would be ahead of the game for several years.

if you have a reputable company that offers yearly service contracts you could inquire about one-they do a safety and overall inspection to set it up (often at little to no cost or the cost is applied to the first year's premium).


p.s. if your home is older and the system is from the 1960's-have you checked to see if you will have any expenses in addition to the new system/installation for permitting and bringing certain aspects of your home up to current code? i ask b/c that was a HUGE consideration for our prior home w/ certain systems-we were grandfathered into old code but had we replaced our heating/cooling or hot water tank we would have had to spend a significant chunk to meet the then current building codes (which was something that the older more established companies in that area were aware of and had us research but the newer/box stores like home depot and such were either ignorant of or just focused on getting the sales contract signed b/c they failed to even mention it or figure it into the their estimates).

Thank you for this information. I am so appreciative!!! What I have found is that it’s very difficult to get anyone in my area to service my 1960 furnace at all. They say that it’s too risky if something happens while they’re servicing it and they won’t find a part to fix it. However, one of the companies that gave us the quote will repair and service it. I think I’m going to ask them these questions you’ve brought up. The quote does include city permitting and inspection and I’m going to ask him about the city code and inspection. Thanks again

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

If you're a member of Costco, I would suggest getting a quote from them. You could get money back in the form of a Costco gift card:

View attachment 675545

We had to have both our furnace and A/C replaced. We went through Costco, had the work done, and got a VERY large return on a Costco gift card. We also upgraded our membership to the Executive level, so we'll be getting an additional 2% Costco "reward".

We are VERY happy with our new HVAC system and the contractor did an outstanding job.

Even if you're not currently a Costco member, it might be worth getting an Executive membership (for at least a year) and a quote on your HVAC needs.

Costco / Lennox HVAC Offer

Oh my goodness, I am an executive Costco member! I completely forgot they offered HVAC services. I am definitely going to look into this now. Thank you so much!

 

[_19disnA]

I would first have someone reputable do an inspection and indicate if they think it is time for a replacement. A very old system could be hard to service and/or repair parts may no longer be available. Older natural gas forced air system do wear out over time. Various internal parts can corrode and there is the potential for leakage of carbon monoxide gas. Don't just pick some company off the internet since many will be more interested in selling you a new system versus giving a recommendation. Perhaps ask your neighbors who they have successfully used and would recommend. It would be bad to wait until the system fails (heat or AC) and then try to find a replacement. In the winter, pipes can freeze in the walls in cold weather causing extensive damage. You can obviously live without AC for a few days, but I would imagine summer is peak time for those types of companies getting service calls from homeowners having issues.

Generally you replace both at the same time due to how they are related and function together. When we had our system replaced a few years ago, they could easily modify/add/change the ductwork that connects to the new unit. Had the impression this is fairly common since every system is a slightly different size. Our new system came with a warranty from the manufacturer but it was a few years ago and I don't recall how long that was for.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Thank you for this information. There is a $400 rebate from our gas company and I can finance if it want to. The company will also give us $200 off if we pay in full.

You're welcome. If it will be less expensive for you to wait until October or so and you can wait, just keep in mind inflation. We were told it's cheaper but with inflation the way it is, you never know.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

I would first have someone reputable do an inspection and indicate if they think it is time for a replacement. A very old system could be hard to service and/or repair parts may no longer be available. Older natural gas forced air system do wear out over time. Various internal parts can corrode and there is the potential for leakage of carbon monoxide gas. Don't just pick some company off the internet since many will be more interested in selling you a new system versus giving a recommendation. Perhaps ask your neighbors who they have successfully used and would recommend. It would be bad to wait until the system fails (heat or AC) and then try to find a replacement. In the winter, pipes can freeze in the walls in cold weather causing extensive damage. You can obviously live without AC for a few days, but I would imagine summer is peak time for those types of companies getting service calls from homeowners having issues.

Generally you replace both at the same time due to how they are related and function together. When we had our system replaced a few years ago, they could easily modify/add/change the ductwork that connects to the new unit. Had the impression this is fairly common since every system is a slightly different size. Our new system came with a warranty from the manufacturer but it was a few years ago and I don't recall how long that was for.

Thank you. Before calling for quotes, I first checked the Better Business Bureau and our community FB page for recommendations. This is such good advice. The company I like the most said exactly what you said. It just makes sense to replace both at the same time because of the connections/duct work they need to do. I don’t have to do the AC now, but probably will.