Your HVAC unit is an essential component in your home, keeping your place a comfortable temperature to live in despite the temperature outside. When it breaks down, that can seriously hinder your day–or even week, depending on how long it takes to get a technician out to fix it. A broken HVAC unit is the last thing you want during the height of summer. There are certain things you can look out for to know that your unit is on the decline before it breaks, so you aren’t left in a lurch.
Your Unit Is Old
Age is the easiest way to tell if it’s time to get a new HVAC unit for your home. The average lifespan of a unit is ten to fifteen years. If yours is older than that, it might be time to start shopping for a new one. There’s every chance that yours is working great at the moment and may survive another hot summer season in it with no issues. There’s also a chance that it will break down on a hot day and leave you in a lurch for several days while you get it fixed.
If you’ve bought your home recently and you don’t know how old your unit is, you may be able to look it up via the serial number on the unit. If that doesn’t work, a skilled HVAC technician will be able to let you know.
Something Odd is Going On
As with any appliance, if it’s not functioning the way it should, something is wrong with your unit. Your HVAC unit should operate relatively quietly: only a slight noise when it turns on and a soft hum while it’s running. If you hear any clanging or other strange noises, something is wrong. Similarly, you shouldn’t smell anything from your unit–especially not melting plastic or burning metal. If you do smell something, it needs to be checked out immediately.
Poor Ventilation
Poor ventilation can be a sign that your HVAC unit no longer has enough energy to push air through your vents and properly cool your home. However, that is not always the case. Before you spend thousands of dollars, make sure all your vents are open and pointing in the right direction. Additionally, make sure there’s nothing blocking your vents and preventing air from flowing through the room. This is a common problem if you’ve recently moved into a new place. However, if the air should be flowing properly and it isn’t, you might need a new HVAC unit.
Not Cooling Your Home Properly
Similar to poor ventilation, if your home isn’t being cooled properly, that can be a sign that your HVAC unit can no longer maintain the temperature that you desire in your home. Unlike poor ventilation issues, this problem is most likely something wrong with your unit specifically. It could be anything from a malfunctioning compressor to a coolant leak. These can be expensive to fix, and depending on the age of your unit, it might be better to get a new one, economically speaking.
Massive Energy Bills
Energy bills can spike for any number of reasons from your kids leaving the lights on after they leave a room to energy companies hiking their prices. It is also a sign that your HVAC unit isn’t as effective as it used to be. As technology evolves, older technology becomes outdated, meaning it’s no longer efficiently cooling your home. Over time, these inflated bills will add up and you’ll be paying more with your old HVAC unit than you would when investing in a new unit altogether.
Frequent Repairs Are Needed
Sometimes things break. That’s a normal expense when it comes to owning an HVAC unit, but it shouldn’t be a consistent routine. If you’re constantly needing to call a technician out to your home to fix something wrong with your HVAC unit, there’s a chance your money will be better spent on investing in a new HVAC unit rather than pouring money into something that will only last you another few years at best. Because they are so integral to your home, HVAC units come with a hefty price tag. Only you can know for sure if the continued repairs are economically favorable compared to investing in a new one.
