Upgrading Heating and Air Systems

There comes a time when it is necessary to upgrade your heating and air systems to newer models. Often times, people put this off, and rightly so, until there is no longer a working system within their home. If the furnace stops working or the air conditioner no longer is able to cool the facility, it may be time to look for a new unit. Before you invest, have a professional visit the home and perform an inspection. In some cases, this can lead to more information than you realize.

Unless your current heating and air system is older, it may not be necessary to replace the entire thing right now. Rather, you may be able to make significant improvements to the way it works without replacing the entire unit. By doing this, you will save money. However, as the system ages, it loses efficiency. If you do have a very old system and it is no longer possible to run it efficiently, you may be wasting money every time you turn it on. This may be time to replace the old system for a new one even if the older model is still working. A new HVAC could pay for itself in a short period in this situation.

Emergency Audits

If you are not sure if you need repairs or upgrades, or you want to see the facts, hire a professional to conduct an energy audit on your home. While the heating and air will be one of the focal points, the professional will also look at other features in the space to determine if there are additional problems. For example, the following will be inspected:

•Ductwork can be debris-filled and causing a backup in your system.

•The windows and doors throughout the space may have gaps leading to loss of warmed or cooler temperatures in the space. This can lead to problems with energy efficiency not related to the function of your HVAC.

•Problems with roofing and insulation may also be a problem in some facilities. If too much energy is lost in this way, the heating and air conditioning will not work properly.

An energy audit is a good way to find out what is causing you to have very high bills. You may find it is not your actual HVAC system behind it but rather another problem area. In other cases, you will learn your heating and air systems are the reason behind the higher costs. When that is the case, these professionals will offer opinions on whether or not to upgrade or replace the current system in place based on age and overall function.