Home Improvement Tips
Ah, the HVAC unit. For most of us, buying a new one is about the equivalent of buying socks on the excitement scale. There are so many more fun ways to spend your hard-earned money, yet it ranks among one of the most critical systems in any house.
Given that level of importance, there are several primary questions that people have when deciding whether to buy a new one. Should you wait until it gives out or is on its last leg or should you anticipate that it needs to be replaced based on its age? And does replacing an HVAC unit increase the value of your house?
While we’ll leave the first two questions to the HVAC experts, our REALTORs do have the answers that you need for whether an HVAC replacement will increase the value of a house.
HVAC 101
Before we go any further, our friends at A/C Medic (one of our agents’ local recommended homeowner resources) offer some basic information that’s important to know when it comes to thinking about whether an HVAC unit should be replaced.
- The average life expectancy of an HVAC unit is 10 to 15 years with proper maintenance and changing filters every 1 to 3 months.
- The average cost of replacing an HVAC unit is $6,500 - $12,000 depending on the system.
- The most noticeable signs that an HVAC unit is nearing the end of its useful life or needs to be replaced are when it starts having Freon leaks; the compressor keeps going out, which happens when you don’t change your filters properly; or when the cost to keep replacing parts starts getting close to the cost of a new system.
Will replacing an HVAC unit increase the value of a house?
If your HVAC unit is less than 10 years old and isn’t showing the signs mentioned above, there is no need to even think about replacing it. Spend your money on something else, but make sure that you follow a regular maintenance routine for your unit to ensure that it remains in good shape for as long as possible. This is money well spent!
If it is getting on up there in years and/or is showing the signs mentioned but still seems to be doing the job, and you know you’re going to be moving in the next few years, the decision may not be quite as easy. Here’s what our REALTORs have to say about whether an HVAC replacement will increase the value of a house.
Amy West
While it won’t add to the value of the house, it certainly won’t hurt it either. In fact, it may even tip the scales in your favor. Most buyers would appreciate a new system, and this could play into their decision on making an offer on your home.
Jeanette Hussey
Replacing an HVAC unit is usually a maintenance item, unless it is upgraded with a humidifier and a higher SEER rating, which is a maximum efficiency rating. Either way, it will be given little value if any on appraisal but could help to sell the home quicker if the competitive homes have older systems.
Angela Burkall
Replacing an HVAC unit won’t add to the value of a house, but it will make it more sellable. That’s because it’s one less thing to worry about. An older unit will tend to have issues to fix, and with our crazy seasons, it’s tough to live without a dependable system.
How to Ask Us About a Potential Home Improvement
If you’re considering a home improvement project that you’d like us to weigh in on as far as whether it will add value to your home, we’d love to hear from you! While our agents can’t address specific examples, they’d be happy to offer general guidance. Simply email marketing@westandwoodall.com, and we’ll get to your topic as soon as we can.