While repairs and maintenance are incredibly important to extending the life of your HVAC unit and improving its efficiency, there also comes a time when a new HVAC installation may be needed. Whether you're replacing an old system or installing one in a new home, Next-Door Contractors can provide you with the best modern HVAC system for your home.

Knowing When To Replace Your HVAC System

HVAC systems are designed to operate at their best when the temperatures are under 95 degrees and are also designed to last for decades. But in , the heat regularly rises well above 95 and remains there. As such, HVAC units often start losing their efficiency within just 8 to 10 years. Knowing when to replace your system is important.

But since each system and situation is different, there are no specific rules as to exactly when you need to replace your HVAC system. There are several different things to consider, but the two most important are:

• How old is your system at the moment?
• What's the cost to repair, and what's the cost to replace it?

For example, if an air conditioner stops working then you'll have to consider the questions above. Let's say that the fan motor on the condenser has failed on the unit. Repairing the system costs $750. But that fan failure could be only the first of many failures. Consider the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). If it's far lower than modern systems, then the cost of your repair and the higher costs of operating it around the clock means that you'll actually end up losing money. We'd recommend replacing the unit.

Another clear sign that it's time to replace your unit is if the compressor fails. Compressor failure is something that can be incredibly expensive to replace, but older units will also often have to be replaced simply because many of them use refrigerants that are now banned by the EPA.

Finally, if your energy bills are climbing over the last few years, it may be because your system is losing efficiency. A replacement system could save you money.

Signs That You Should Replace Your HVAC System

There are a few signs that it may be time to replace your HVAC system. These include the following.

• If Your Heat Pump Is Too Old – Units that are more than 10 years old may need to be replaced. Today's Energy Star units can reduce your heating and cooling costs by up to 20%
• Your Furnace Or Boiler Is Too Old – Those with a boiler older than 15 years may also need to consider upgrading. Modern furnaces can operate as much as 15% more efficiently than conventional options.
• HVAC Units Begin To Need Repairs – An occasional repair may not be a big deal, but when you constantly seem to be repairing your unit it is a likely sign that you need to consider replacing it.
• Your Energy Bills Are Increasing – Increased energy bills are often because the unit is starting to become less efficient. As such, you may need to upgrade.
• Rooms Aren't Comfortable – One common issue is that one room may be comfortable but another might be too cold or too hot. This may be because of duct issues, poor installation, inadequate insulation, or because there's a problem in the heating or cooling unit.
• Humidity Issues – Summertime humidity is often caused by poor equipment operation. Upgrading your equipment may help stop humidity from building up.
• Thermostat Is Nonprogrammable – If you're away from home at work most of the day, you need a thermostat that is fully programmable. This will help you save money and energy. Sometimes you don't need to replace the entire unit – just the thermostat itself.
• Dusty Home – If your home is much dustier than it once was, sealing ducts could help. In other cases of severely damaged or poorly installed ducts, replacement may be needed.
• Noisy Operation – A good heating and cooling system should operate quietly. If your system is nosy it might be a sign that there is an issue with the equipment, the ducts, or both.

HVAC Installation

Knowing what to expect from an HVAC replacement is important as well. In general, you can expect a full installation to take about 6 to 8 hours. If we have to replace ductwork as well, that timeframe will be longer. In some cases, multiple technicians will help to ensure that your job is done as quickly as possible.

During our system installation and replacement services, our HVAC specialists will take the following steps:

• Ensure that your home has the required indoor space for the installation, maintenance, and repair of the system.
• Installation of an access door in the furnace to ensure that we can clean the evaporator coil in the future.
• Validation of duct size by using a specific methodology.
• Check of supply registers and return registers to ensure that the system is able to move air to and from the air conditioner and the rooms in the home properly.
• Installation of ductwork. We attempt to place ducts in conditioned space instead of the attic whenever possible.
• Sealing of all ducts and insulation of attic ducts with extra insulation to maintain maximum efficiency.
• Locate the condensing unit in a way that will minimize noise.
• Locate the condensing unit in a way that avoids airflow blockage and maximizes efficiency of the operation.
• Verification that the air conditioning unit is poorly charged with refrigerant.
• Installation of thermostat in a location away from heat sources.

Choosing Your HVAC System

We know that there's a lot to choosing an HVAC unit, and our team will attempt to help you make the choice that works best for you. The higher the efficiency rating the better, and while the minimum SEER rating is 13, we can help you find units with much more efficiency. We'll also review different features like:

• Quiet operation
• Filter check lights to remind you when it's time to change a filter
• Variable speed air handlers
• Automatic delay fan switches
• Fan only switch for night time ventilation
• Thermal expansion valves
• And more

Simply put, our technicians will talk to you about what each unit costs and what it offers to ensure that you are able to choose the best unit for your needs. There are plenty of options out there and we want you to find the one that works best for your home, your family, and your budget.

Our HVAC Brands

At Next-Door Contractors, we proudly carry and install Trane and Carrier HVAC systems. However, our experienced technicians can service and repair any brand of air conditioning and heating units.

New Install Warranties

We also offer a ten year parts and two-year labor warranty on any complete system replacement that we provide, and give our clients the option to purchase an extended warranty for up to ten years.

Financing

Next-Door Contractors understands that HVAC systems are a major purchase. That's why we offer several types of financing options including a 0% interest for 60 months option. And our military and senior discounts help these citizens get reduced rates. Our current promotions change, so be sure to take a look at them to see what kind of specials you may receive.