Most people replace their heating and cooling units for one reason and one reason only – because it breaks. We don’t think much about these systems when they’re operational, even if they’re 25+ year old and causing us to spend far more money on electricity than we ought to. For each passing year, your systems lose their steam, to the point that a 20+ year old heating and cooling system might only run at 50% of its original power. Considering that you still need 100% cooling or heating, that means your units have to work overtime to keep you happy.

And that costs money.

You Don’t Have to Wait Until It Breaks

Nearly every homeowner will wait until their heating and cooling units break before they replace them. While that’s not the worst approach, it can be detrimental to your wallet. One of the reasons people tend to delay replacing these units is because of the cost. Mid-range HVAC units might cost $3,000 – $5,000, prior to any labor being performed. No one wants to throw away money like that, but if you took the time to consider the amount of money spent powering up outdated technology and systems, you’d be surprised to learn that over the course of just a handful of years, you’d spend more in electricity for an older system, then you would to replace your heating and cooling units.

This Is a Long-Term Investment

By nature, people have a hard time thinking about the long-term when weighing out the benefits of a purchase. Spending $5 on an unnecessary snack a few times a week doesn’t phase us, despite that totaling up to hundreds of dollars carelessly spent. But ask us to spend thousands of dollars in one sitting, well, we tend to get a bit gun shy.

But replacing your heating and cooling units with more efficient, contemporary systems, isn’t just about reaping rewards immediately. In other words, it’s not like a candy bar. While you’ll often times see up to 20% improvements on your electricity bills – after your upgrade – in the back of your mind you can’t let go of the thousands of dollars spent.

Yet, that 20% difference in your electricity bill, when spanned out over several years, will add up to far more saved than what you spent on your new heating and cooling units. With today’s technology, not only can you get heating and cooling units that run more efficiently out of the box; but your new units are far more likely to retain their efficiency over the years, particularly if you invest in regular maintenance.

Before You Replace, Turn To the Experts for a Tune-up

The easiest thing for a heating and cooling company to tell a client is that their systems need replacement. Having to replace a heating and cooling unit is costly to the customer, but fortuitous to the company. But the truth is that a replacement is not always necessary. Trustworthy heating and cooling companies will be able to assess whether a simple tune-up, by a trained technician, is all you need. This could save you thousands of dollars and prolong your system for several more years.

Begin a New Regimen

Whether you end up replacing your heating and cooling units, or having them tuned-up, this is your opportunity to start fresh and begin a new regimen. Perhaps you haven’t been as committed to yearly maintenance and check-ups for your systems. Now’s the time for a change. The best way to prolong your systems, keep them running at full capacity, and know when it’s time to replace the units (without having to experience a breakdown), is by getting them regularly maintained by a trained heating and cooling technician.