3 Tips for Deciding When to Replace or Repair Your Heater

One of the toughest and most stressful periods of time to be a homeowner is when one of your appliances is too old. From dishwashers to laundry machines, an old system is going to be both inefficient and unreliable, causing you to wonder day in and day out if it’s ready for replacement.

With these kinds of systems, the most that can happen when they break down is a serious inconvenience. A broken laundry machine means you’ll need to spend a few visits at the laundromat before you can get them replaced. But a heating system can be catastrophic for your life when it breaks down. You can’t go a few weeks without heat, especially if a bad cold front is on its way. That can completely halt your life and cause things to get out of hand.

So, how can you tell when your heating system is about to go, or if you just need heating services in Tallahassee, FL? Our three tips should help you figure that out.

The 50% Rule

Let’s start with one of the most common and easiest-to-understand rules of replacement. When you start out by calling a professional technician, they might give you an estimate for a repair, but that repair could be especially expensive.

For instance, your heat pump’s compressor might fail and you need to replace that particular component. This is one of the most expensive and largest components of your heat pump system, and it could cost a few thousand dollars to replace. This is a big commitment, especially if your heat pump is already a few years old.

The 50% rule comes into effect if a repair is going to cost more than half of the cost that a replacement system would be. You’re just going to get more out of an entirely new system than you would a repair of that size. The replacement is almost always the more cost-effective solution.

The $5,000 Rule

In terms of HVAC equipment, $5,000 is a lot of money. A repair of that magnitude means that something pretty serious is wrong and there’s extensive work that needs to be done. Most repairs are below the thousand dollar range, and even those can still be pretty extensive.

The $5,000 rule is simple: If your repair costs more than $5,000, it’s not worth it. You’re more likely to get more from a replacement over time than you would by paying for this cost.

The 10-15 Rule

Did you know that your HVAC system has a lifespan of 10-15 years? This is true with pretty much every single forced-air heating and cooling system, from central air conditioners to furnaces, and even with heat pumps.

Certain components like blower fans and compressors can get worn down after a while, even when they’ve been properly cleaned and maintained. This makes the 10-15 rule pretty simple–if your HVAC system reaches the 10-15 year mark, a replacement is almost always a better choice than repairs.

Repairs Are Still Worth It

Don’t let this blog post stop you from at least getting an estimate and paying for a professional to diagnose the problem. Depending on your situation or your budget, you might not be in the best place for a big purchase. In this case, a repair might still be able to keep your home comfortable without breaking the bank.

Contact the experts at Parker Services Inc, where Comfort’s just a call away!

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