Your air conditioner and furnace keep your home comfortable year-round by controlling your indoor climate. With proper maintenance, your heating system will last up to 15 years, while the average lifespan of your cooling device is twice as long. Unfortunately, as these products wear out over time, replacement is necessary to avoid major, recurring and costly repairs.
However, given this difference in lifespan, should you replace your furnace and air conditioner at the same time? Our team at AC & Heating Experts Princeton, the best furnace replacement and installation company in Princeton, New Jersey, has the answer. Below are five reasons to replace your furnace and air conditioner together, and our top reason to replace them separately.
1. Creating a Comfortable Environment
A split or compact air conditioner communicates with any electric or gas furnace to distribute warm air throughout the home, just like your air conditioner distributes cool air in the summer. So if your air conditioner is broken, it will prevent cool, warm air from entering your living spaces.
Instead of settling for an uncomfortable environment, upgrade your air conditioning. We also recommend that you replace your current furnace if it is 20 years old or older or if you notice any defects. Doing this as early as possible will avoid further inconvenience in the event of a furnace failure.
2. Maintaining Healthier Air Quality
Even with a new heating or air conditioning system, you should change clogged filters every three months and clear the ventilation slots of dust, dander and dirt. Otherwise, these pollutants accumulate and get back into the air you breathe, which can trigger allergies and asthma attacks as well as coughing, sneezing and other respiratory irritants.
However, even with regular cleaning and semi-annual professional maintenance, your system will of course no longer function at full capacity once the ten-year mark has been reached, leading to faster and larger deposits. Mold, bacteria, dust, and other particles thrive in inaccessible parts of your system, and your device releases these allergens into the air, putting your air quality and your health at risk.
Replacing your furnace and air conditioner at the same time will keep your entire heating and cooling system particle-free. This creates a safer environment than replacing a single unit by allowing dust to flow from one to the other while releasing allergens into the air.
3. Controlling Indoor Temperature
A clogged filter can also affect your heating and cooling systems as debris blocks airflow. Restricted airflow has many consequences, including temperature imbalance.
Your air conditioner and furnace use a thermostat to determine the current temperature in your home and adjust their performance to achieve the desired temperature. As your air conditioner expels cool air or warm air from a compatible furnace, it continues to test the air in the room. However, a block keeps controlled air trapped in the system, preventing it from entering rooms in your home and providing adequate cooling or heat.
Dust on your evaporator and condenser coils also prevents cooling refrigerant from coming into contact with the air that requires temperature adjustment, causing uneven or incorrect internal temperatures to blow through your vents. Therefore, a replacement air conditioner and furnace can better achieve and maintain proper temperature settings.
4. Energy-Efficiency
Clogs are also responsible for surprisingly high electricity bills. Restricted airflow means little controlled air from your unit enters your home, inefficiently heating or cooling the room. As a result, your system has to run longer to reach your temperature setting, increasing energy costs.
After a while, your device may begin a short cycle and cycle on and off frequently before completing a cycle. This happens because it overheats and shuts down to cool down. Turning it on and off requires a lot of energy, and the more the device does this, the more energy is wasted.
Many residents also get into the habit of changing the set temperatures for greater comfort when the system performance is no longer sufficient. Not only does this put more strain on your device and cause it to fail, but for every degree you increase or decrease the temperature, your energy costs also increase by 1%.
If you choose to replace your furnace and air conditioner at the same time, you can reduce your utility bills. Simply replacing the air conditioner can still result in wasted energy. Because your air conditioner is connected to your furnace, maintaining your existing heating system counteracts the benefits of upgrading your air conditioning system. Therefore, it is better to swap both models for high-efficiency models that save 33% on all future bills.
5. Fewer Repairs
As your heating and cooling systems age, their internal components experience wear and tear. Whether it’s a weakened motor or frozen coils, parts are replaced more frequently, which adds up and costs more in the long run than a complete replacement.
For example, replacing an air conditioner can cost up to $7,500 and replacing a furnace can cost up to $9,000. However, the constant repairs over the years add up to tens of thousands of dollars worth of parts and service. Plus, sooner or later you’ll pay for a new system, eliminating the need for any previous repairs.
Some more common problems in older systems that you can avoid by replacing your furnace and air conditioner at the same time include:
- Blown Fuse: The fuse is located in the evaporator coil and prevents the system from overheating. However, faulty or broken components, wire shorts, or circuit overloads will cause the fuse to blow and permanently damage your device’s motor circuits.
- Faulty thermostat: Sometimes a dead battery causes fluctuations or incorrect readings on your thermostat. Other times, a wiring problem disables your entire device, which relies on the thermostat to tell it when to turn on and for how long. As your system ages, poor communication between the thermostat and the device becomes more common.
- Leaking Drain Line: Drain lines are particularly susceptible to algae growth over time as standing water fills the drain line and tub. In addition, dirty water can easily clog the pipe, resulting in water leaks and pipe cracks. At this point, you’re facing potentially serious plumbing problems that extend beyond your HVAC system.
- Faulty Compressor: The compressor circulates refrigerant to move heat between the compartments of your HVAC unit. Without it, your system will overheat, blow lukewarm air, make strange noises, or increase energy costs. Although you can replace a faulty compressor, its lifespan is the same as your unit’s, so a malfunction may indicate that your entire system needs to be replaced.
When Should You Replace Your Units Together?
Now that you understand why you should replace your furnace and air conditioner at the same time, it’s time to decide when to spend money to keep your home and family safe. Typically, Princeton, New Jersey residents wait until they notice any of the above-mentioned issues with their units’ performance before making the change. However, there are other ways to find out when it’s time:
- When your heater reaches or exceeds its average lifespan, even if it is working properly, you can soon expect problems that will result in mounting repair costs. So if you are upgrading your refrigerator at the end of its life and your furnace is also aging over the years, you should consider replacing it together.
- If any of the systems are running on discontinued parts, you will need to replace your HVAC unit with more modern parts to ensure technicians have the knowledge and equipment to repair or replace them.
- If your appliances are outdated, replace them with high-efficiency appliances with a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) greater than 16.
- Even newer devices suffer from significant wear and tear due to improper handling and lack of maintenance. If your HVAC system requires constant repairs, replace it with a new system that won’t require costly maintenance for a while.
When Should You Not Replace Your Units Together?
Before you start calculating how much it would cost to replace your entire heating and cooling system, understand that there are circumstances in which you should not replace your furnace and air conditioner at the same time.
If you have replaced one of your devices in the last few years and are now thinking about replacing the other, there is no need to replace the old device. Not only is it likely to still be in optimal condition, but it will also save you unnecessary and expensive replacement costs.
You also shouldn’t replace your units at the same time if you have limited funds or if your furnace is in good condition and can wait for the next air conditioner replacement.
Bring That Sweet Princeton Air Into Your Home
If your air conditioning or heating system isn’t working in your home, the first thing you think about (aside from the uncomfortable temperature) is the possible repair costs. Our goal is to solve this problem by making all installation, maintenance, repair and replacement services as simple and affordable as possible. Our experienced and certified technicians provide superior scheduling and emergency services at competitive prices.
Trust AC & Heating Experts Princeton to service your home in Princeton, NJ and the surrounding areas and find out if you need to replace your furnace and air conditioner at the same time. Call 609-293-4475 to learn more about our special offers and schedule your appointment today!