replacing ac/furnace over winter? (Dallas: sales, rental, insurance)

[stargirl007]

Hi everyone,

We are ringing in literally one year into our house today! We had a bit of trouble with our AC unit a few weeks ago, which is also the original from when the house was built in 1992. When the repairman was here, he mentioned "I would be surprised if this lasts more than 6 more months." Obviously a bit of a sales tactic, but it has gotten us to thinking if we should consider replacing the unit over the winter before the weather changes for next summer.

The repairman estimated around $7K to replace the AC and furnace in our 1450 sq ft house. Obviously, I would like to call around before we do this but a couple of questions.

Is it worth it to get the AC and furnace replaced at the same time?

Secondly, is it worth waiting for the AC to kick the bucket (knowing full well it could do it in the middle of August), or would we see a reasonable cost savings over doing it in the middle of the winter? It feels like here in Dallas that part of the decision is nothing more than going ahead and paying the $$ so you don't have to experience life without AC in the middle of the summer!!

Thanks,

[WorldKlas]

I just got a screaming deal on a new system for one of my rental properties. I have done lots of system replacements and you always get the best deals in the winter. If your system is original it's time to replace it. Also your system uses the old freon which is very expensive if you need a re-charge. I bet my guy can do you an new system, including removal of your old equipment for under $4K. Seriously.

[stargirl007]

Originally Posted by WorldKlas

I just got a screaming deal on a new system for one of my rental properties. I have done lots of system replacements and you always get the best deals in the winter. If your system is original it's time to replace it. Also your system uses the old freon which is very expensive if you need a re-charge. I bet my guy can do you an new system, including removal of your old equipment for under $4K. Seriously.

If that's the case, toss me contact info via PM please. I want to get this taken care of. I was planning on calling some places this week since the first estimate we received seemed so high!

[richard88]

23 years old AC and furnace ... that's quite worth the $$, although I thought furnace could last longer.

[stargirl007]

I wanted to bump this as I've had my new HVAC for about a year now and I'm starting to get inquiries about purchasing a maintenance agreement.

For $150, it would include a spring checkup for the AC, fall checkup for the furnace, one service call should we need to use it, and 15% off any repairs.

Are these types of agreements worth it?

[loves2read]

We have gone that route--and don't have one on either of our two houses we live in or the one we own my SIL lives in--
We have an excellent, reliable and honest AC repair person and her deal was they are just not worth the money--especially with a company that comes in to do the "spring tuneup" and tells you something is broke that isn't...
Her deal is wait til it breaks and fix it...

@Stargirl--you are not in her work zone...she has recently sold part of her business and cut back on area because she is over 60...or I would recommend you call her...

She just says change your filters very frequently--even in winter and use bleach down the overflow---keep the outside units clean so they don't get blocked by dust or spring tree pollen...
And she also says that some of the filters advertised as blocking all the allergens in the air work against the HVAC units--she recommends using something not that effective...

[pharpe]

Originally Posted by stargirl007

I wanted to bump this as I've had my new HVAC for about a year now and I'm starting to get inquiries about purchasing a maintenance agreement.

For $150, it would include a spring checkup for the AC, fall checkup for the furnace, one service call should we need to use it, and 15% off any repairs.

Are these types of agreements worth it?

If your HVAC breaks then you might save some money. It's like insurance. In the long run it's not worth it if you look at it from a total dollars perspective. Companies would not offer this service if it was not profitable for them.

On the other hand what price do you pay for peace of mind? It's also a good way to ensure regular maintenance which tends to get put off or forgotten otherwise. There is also the chance they could catch a small inexpensive issue before it turns into an expensive issue. This is probably the biggest selling point but in reality rarely happens.

Personally, with a brand new system, I probably wouldn't do it. Just keep the filter changed regularly which is the number one thing you can do to keep you system healthy. Clean your condenser (outside unit) once a year. It's not hard:
Essential Maintenance For an Air Conditioning Unit | how-tos | DIY

You might want to hire someone to clean the inside unit every couple of years.

Oh and as the other poster stated put bleach down the overflow! I've had them clog before and it's not fun.