Two Birds, One Stone: The Benefits Of Replacing Your Furnace And Air Conditioner Together

Want To Save Money On Heating And Cooling? Try Replacing Your Furnace And Air Conditioner Together. Read This Article To Find Out The Benefits.

Keyword(s): Furnace And Air Conditioner

Heating and cooling account for 48 percent of the money you spend on your home’s energy. You invest a lot of money to keep your home comfortable. What happens when one of your systems break?

Do you just fix the broken system or both? Remember the saying “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?” Well, that does not necessarily apply to your home’s heating and cooling systems.

Want to save money on heating AND cooling? Try replacing your furnace and air conditioner together. Read this article to find out the benefits.

Systems Complement Each Other

Your furnace and air conditioner share the same blower, or air handler, which is indoors and connected to your furnace. When the systems are matched, they work better together and more efficiently with the same handler. The handler will help these systems run better together.

Other parts of your furnace and air conditioner:

1. Air handler
2. Thermostat
3. Compressor
4. Outdoor condenser
5. Indoor evaporator coil
6. Copper tubing

As you can see, there are a variety of similar parts that these systems share. When you replace the two systems together, they are meant to do that — work together.

For example, let’s say you need a new air conditioner. You could be wasting money if you don’t replace your furnace and blower if it is the same age as that air conditioner. Your new air conditioner will not be able to move the air properly with that outdated blower, so you may not have solved your problem even after spending all that money on a new unit.

Save Money Over Time

Even though it may not seem like it, you will save money over time when you match your systems and replace together. You save money because these systems are meant to work together and operate efficiently. In addition, both systems are under warranty.

If you don’t replace together, you could run into issues with the warranty. Your new system manufacturer may not cover a breakdown if this system is paired with an old system.

When you have two systems installed at once, you only have to pay the installation fee once. The process is less complicated and easier for the technician.

Newer systems need fewer repairs, so you won’t have to pay for unnecessary repairs. If you don’t replace both systems, you may have to pay for future repairs and then eventually replace the old system. You wouldn’t have to pay for repairs if you installed a newer system in the beginning.

Energy Efficiency

The new heating and cooling systems are much more efficient than those built even 10 to 15 years ago. You can do your research to see the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) ratio. The higher SEER number uses less energy, and this means it costs less to operate.

Furnaces are rated by their Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE). You want your furnace to be at least a 90 percent or higher to be the most efficient possible.

New furnaces should last at least 15 to 20 years. Central air conditioners should last about 12 to 15 years. Of course, these estimates all depend on the quality of the equipment along with its efficiency.

If your system is close to this age, you can gauge about how much time you have left. If your furnace breaks and your air conditioner unit is 12 years old, you should really consider replacing both units.

Improved Performance

Old and new technology does not work well together. Your system will not work as well with this mix, making your house either too stuffy or chilly. If you just replace one of your systems, you actually lower the performance of both systems, costing your more on your energy bills.

The components will not match. Because they don’t work well together, you are not using your newer technology to your advantage.

Think of computers and all the advances in technology. Your heating and cooling systems are the same. You want to get the most out of your new purchase by making sure your systems communicate, operate, and perform effectively.

Even if your new system has a high energy rating, you may not get that performance out of your unit. Your new unit is working harder to try to use the old parts of your outdated system.

Avoid Future HVAC Issues

When you don’t replace your systems together, you could have more issues with your systems because they are not compatible. This means you may have more repairs and costs. When systems don’t work efficiently and are not compatible, the new system will run harder which could shorten the lifespan of the new system.

We mentioned it above, but it needs to be repeated. Manufacturers may not honor warranties on new systems if they are working with an older system. This means if your new system breaks down you are responsible for all the costs.

Replacing your systems at the same time ensures they work together properly. In the long run, it saves you frustration, unnecessary costs, and discomfort in your home. Your systems will both be new and under warranty.

Because these systems work together efficiently, it could lower your energy costs saving you money monthly. It’s important to think about all these factors before saying replacing both is not the right option. If you are worried about the cost, talk to your heating and cooling company about financing.

There are common problems with furnaces and air conditioners. Over time, all these “band-aids” begin to add up. Talk to your technician and ask how much time he or she thinks your unit has left.

Looking For A Furnace And Air Conditioner?

Are you in the market for a furnace and air conditioner? Contact Masters Heating and Cooling today to make sure you get your system running properly. Our experts can help you decide your best replacement or repair options to keep your home comfortable with the right heating and cooling systems.

You can also check out our blog regularly for tips on keeping your furnace and air conditioner working properly. Let us help you keep your home comfortable for all seasons.