Can i replace my furnace
without replacing my ac?
Can I Replace My Furnace Without Replacing My AC?
These are the questions that plague many customers that have HVAC systems installed. The fact remains that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are very sophisticated and intricate in their design, parts, and components. Therefore one must ascertain the need for the parts, repairs and replacements.
Repair or Replace?
Furnaces, like any other component of the HVAC system, suffer depreciation. There are wear-and-tear problems that reduce the efficiency of the furnace.
The first consideration while encountering such a problem related to the furnace is whether to repair or replace it.
Many issues can be dealt with by an HVAC maintenance team. Repairing a furnace takes less time, money, and labor than replacing the furnace. Let us consider all the situations that require the furnace to get repaired.
- Changing the Filters:
Sometimes, a dirty filter causes many issues in the furnace. Due to dirt, the filters get clogged, which reduces the free flow of air. This increases the pressure on the fan motor. This leads to the motor getting burn-out. The burning out of the motor leads to an increase in the electricity bills. Therefore, it is advisable to change the filters in 2-3 months regularly.
- Inspect the Thermostat:
In many cases, the furnace might not be the actual problem. It would help if you inspect the thermostat. Some of these are battery-run. If the thermostat has a low-battery, it may interrupt its efficient working.
- Inspect the Circuit Breaker:
If the furnace is not getting turned on, then one must look at the circuit breaker. Sometimes the furnace circuit is not in the same direction as the rest of the circuits. Therefore, one must try to flip it off and then turn it back on.
Issues with the Pilot Light:
If, after proper inspection and fixes, the issue is not solved, then you may have to replace the furnace. The following are the cases where the only solution is to replace your furnace:
- When your furnace has crossed 15 years
The average lifespan of furnaces is about 15-30 years. That does not mean that you have to stick to your old furnace for 30 years. Often, a furnace that is over 15 years old becomes less efficient and has some issues consistently. Rather than spending tons of money on repairing the old furnace, you may buy a new one. This would be a more prudent approach to solving your furnace issue.
- When you see a consistent rise in Electricity Bills
Furnaces, as they get older, tend to burn-out. This makes the furnace work harder. As a result, electricity bills rise. Then, it is appropriate to replace the furnace and bring down the electricity costs.
- When it becomes too noisy
Soft noise from the furnace can be expected. But any loud hissing, humming, popping, or screeching noise needs to be checked. The louder the noise, the more they need a furnace replacement.
Are you replacing Furnace and AC together?
Sometimes, when you change one component and introduce the new part with the HVAC system, the system as a whole may suffer and not work optimally. Mismatched parts and components can create many problems like:
- Reducing the System’s Lifespan
When some parts are introduced in the air conditioning system, the new mismatched furnace may lead to more issues than it intended to solve. The overall efficacy and functionality of the HVAC system are compromised. This may cause more problems and warrant more repairs in the future.
- Causing Inefficiencies
When the furnace is replaced without replacing the entire air-conditioning unit, and the new furnace is incompatible with the HVAC system, the entire system suffers from reduced efficiency. The air conditioning is less effective. This defeats the whole purpose of the replacement.
- Doubling the costs
When incompatible parts of the HVAC system work with lesser efficiency, one must pay for two installations. Firstly, the furnace installation in the immediate time frame. The other one is the air conditioning system’s installation costs incurred in the future due to the parts incompatibility and the issues arising thereof.
However, replacing the AC and furnace together might not be a plausible solution in the following cases.
- If the AC is new:
Suppose you have moved places and the furnace in your new home is ten years old. However, only a few years ago, you purchased your air conditioning system. You may replace your furnace without replacing your AC since the furnace may have irregularities in its functioning while the AC is perfectly well.
- Checking the air conditioner when the furnace is being replaced:
When the furnace is replaced with a new one, one must check the evaporator and coils of the air conditioning system to determine whether it is functioning well or if there are some leakages. If the air conditioning system is working efficiently, then you may replace the furnace without replacing the air conditioning unit. However, if there are some issues like leakages etc., one must have an HVAC team inspect and let them replace the furnace and the air conditioning system together. This will save on the future costs of repairs and replacements.
Conclusion
To sum up, when you have to replace the furnace and your air conditioning unit, you must consider the factors like parts mismatch, the lifespan of the furnace and the AC system, and future repair costs, among others, to come to a definite conclusion. Replacing the furnace and the air conditioning system is an expensive affair; therefore, one must take a prudent decision by doing a thorough cost-benefit analysis.