Most homeowners are proud of their property and strive to keep it beautiful and comfortable, healthy and safe. Home maintenance is one of the most important aspects of taking care of your real estate, and HVAC is a big part of it.

Before you spend thousands of dollars on a new heating, cooling, or plumbing system, it’s a wise to check your house and system for leaks, as this could be causing the problem, and it may be less expensive to do an HVAC repair than to replace completely.

Arrange for an energy efficiency professional to perform an energy assessment on your home. Proper insulation and sealing will help your HVAC system run much more efficiently and safely. And if you do need to replace your system after all, your HVAC contractors will make sure your new heating, cooling, or plumbing system is properly sized and installed to run more efficiently, potentially saving you significantly on both your upfront expenses and energy bills in the future.

Now, how do you know when it’s time to replace you existing HVAC system?

If we look at national averages, we’ll see that life expectancy is around 15 years for Furnaces, AC, Condensing Boilers & Tankless Water heaters, while Cast Boilers may get a little closer to 20 years. Breaking that down a little further, we’ve seen central air conditioners’ life spans to be an average of 12 to 15 years. Heaters seem to last a little bit longer -15 to 20 years and 22 year for a long life.

Generally speaking, 15 years is a good number that covers a lot of major HVAC products.

One of the main questions is – why wait for your system to fail? HVAC companies understand the importance of replacing units and systems proactively.

An important factor that plays a role in the decision to go ahead and change the HVAC system is newer technology – providing increased convenience, comfort, and efficiency.

How can you tell that the time has come to replace your HVAC system?

• If your system is approaching 15 years or older, it may be time, though some may become faulty or inefficient as soon as after 7 or 8 years
• If you’ve called for repairs more than 2 times in the last year
• Your heater is making funny noises – call to see if it’s a simple repair or time to replace; newer models run much quieter than some of the older models
• If your heating bills are high – newer models are much more energy efficient
• If you can’t keep your home at a comfortable temperature
• If you’d like to transition to a different fuel source – maybe you want to convert to natural gas or try a ductless heating & cooling solution
• If you want to install central air – you will save money by installing both systems at the same time; heat pumps can provide both heating and A/C
• New improvements in heating technology provide more options than you probably had when your system was first installed. There are advancements in comfort and efficiency, as well as ductless options.

Why should you replace your HVAC system?

• An opportunity to evaluate your options and make an informed decision about proactively installing a new system, instead of, for instance, having to quickly make an expensive purchase in the middle of a harsh winter because you have no heat.
• Newer models are much more efficient and run more quietly.
• If you plan your upgrade, you can take advantage of specials that are offered, instead of needing to buy immediately when there may not be any promotions.
• Newer, more energy-efficient models often qualify for rebates and tax credits.
• Money spent on repairs is essentially wasted money if you will need a new system soon anyway.
• Winter breakdowns can cause more damage to your home in case of broken pipes, which can further damage your home’s interior, ruin your household items, and cause costly plumbing repairs.

At UGI Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, our decades of experience and seeing first hand how many unexpected situations can cause inconvenience, extra expenses and damages to your home and even your health, have proved over and over again that being proactive really pays off!

Our exceptional team of HVAC contractors and technicians is ready to make sure your home is safe and comfortable, by delivering solutions that meet your needs.

Rely on UGI Heating, Cooling & Plumbing for all of your whole-home HVAC needs in Lancaster, PA, Reading, PA, Harrisburg, PA, Bethlehem, PA and the surrounding areas.

We invite you to contact us for more information and to make an appointment today.