It is hard to imagine what life here in Canada must have been like before the invention of the furnace and the air conditioner.
Living so far north as we do, our seasons are very distinct! Summer is air conditioning, and the long, cold winter is most definitely the furnace season.
What is odd about different HVAC systems, however, is that they don’t wear out at the same time. Even though we use our furnaces much more than our air conditioners, most furnaces last longer than air conditioners.
This can make it very challenging when one of your components is ready to be replaced.
Every week, our team at Shipton’s Heating & Cooling fields calls from customers wanting to know if it makes more sense to buy just the failing component or whether they should buy a combo system all at once.
In this post, we walk you through the pros and cons of purchasing a combo furnace AC system.
Differences in Furnace and AC Lifespans
Modern air conditioners typically last about 10 years before major repair needs prompt a decision to service or replace.
Modern furnaces, however, can easily last half as long, which means you may wind up facing a decision to replace your AC five years before your furnace is ready to call it quits.
What should you do?
Is it more economical to switch out only the air conditioner so that you can get those last five years of use out of your existing furnace?
Or does it make more sense from a cost and efficiency perspective to replace both units at the same time?
Our Shipton’s Heating & Cooling technicians will give you the answers!
Benefits of Replacing Both Your Furnace and AC Systems Together
These are the major benefits of choosing to replace both your furnace and AC at the same time.
1. Save up to 50 percent on installation costs.
Perhaps the number one reason to replace both your furnace and AC systems together doesn’t have anything to do with the longevity of each unit. Rather, it has to do with the complexity of the installation of each unit.
In the vast majority of cases, you will end up spending more money if you replace each component separately by paying for the separate installation of each.
Bundling the installation of both units together can save up to half the installation costs.
2. Check “HVAC investment” off of your budget for years to come.
There is something to be said for investing in your own peace of mind. It can feel pretty great to know you have two new HVAC components – each with a long and economically useful lifespan in front of them.
If you are planning on putting your house on the market, choosing to install new HVAC units can also boost the resale value of your property and may lower your homeowner’s insurance premiums as well.
3. Ensure a match between shared components of your HVAC system.
Both your air conditioner and your furnace will use the blower fan to distribute temperature-controlled air through your ducts and out into your space.
Installing two new HVAC components that are designed to work seamlessly together is considerably easier than trying to jerry-rig one new and one older component to work well using shared components.
4. Avoid voiding your warranty for the newly purchased HVAC component.
In many cases, failing to upgrade both your air conditioner and furnace at the same time may void the warranty for the new component.
Make sure to read the fine print of the new component warranty before making your final decision so that you know whether there are any exclusions or limitations to the terms.
5. You will realize greater seasonal energy efficiency and cost savings.
According to Energy Star, you stand to improve your energy efficiency by up to 20% when installing a new air conditioner and up to 15% when installing a new furnace.
The higher SEER ratings can also improve your indoor air quality and lower your energy bills all year long.
Drawbacks of Replacing Both Your Furnace and AC Together
Listed below are the biggest drawbacks to consider when you are trying to decide whether to replace your furnace and AC together as a combo unit or separately as usage patterns dictate.
1. You lose out on the useful lifespan for one component.
There is no question that purchasing new HVAC components represents a big investment. Naturally, you want to get all the value possible out of each component before deciding to replace either one.
In this case, if your furnace is less than 10 years old, it may make more sense to replace only a failing AC unit and leave the working furnace in place – or vice versa.
2. You have a greater up-front investment to consider.
While it is true that you may pay less overall to install a matching set of HVAC components than to replace and install each one separately, you will still end up with a higher bill than you would if you just replaced and installed the single non-working component.
Not every family finds themselves well-situated to take on such a sizeable investment all at once. In some cases, it may not make sense to change both components if one is still in good working order.
Play to Win a Free HVAC Combo Unit!
From now until November 30, 2020, enter to win a free HVAC combo unit from Shipton’s Heating & Cooling when you play our popular annual Golden Savings Scratch & Win game.
We are also offering up to 20% off preventative furnace maintenance services throughout November.
Contact Shipton’s for Expert Hamilton, Ontario HVAC Service
Our friendly, knowledgeable technicians at Shipton’s Heating & Cooling are here to serve you with affordable winter HVAC maintenance. Ask our qualified HVAC technicians about our safe contact-less service, invoicing, and payment options!
Just give our expert HVAC technicians a call at 1-905-549-4616 or visit us online.
