Purchasing HVAC appliances is not an easy decision especially the bigger ones like Furnace, Air Conditioner and Heat Pump. It takes bucks to spend and it is only after that, that you can bring a new unit home. With the thought to hefty investments, homeowners often wonder if they should rather repair the unit and not replace it. While this decision may be correct at some times, it is not so always. And the reason is; dragging a faulty unit that keeps on seeking frequent repairs only makes bad impacts on your budget. This is why some honest HVAC professionals sometimes endorse replacement over repair emphasizing the cost-saving that this offers in the long run. Below we discuss when replacement of your system is better than having it repaired but before that check out this formula.

Professionals say; in order to calculate whether to go for repair or not, make the multiplication this way; the age of Air Conditioner * First-time repair fee. If the sum exceeds $5000, try no more repairs on the same system and rather replace it. Otherwise, you are good to go to call a repair tech.

5 factors to decide for an Air Conditioner Replacement

How many years?

Sow what is the age of your unit? Units which are over ten years start to cause frequent repairs and also have lost significantly on efficiency. So if your system has crossed 10 years and a serious repair need has recently arisen, choose replacement!

Look out for noise and dust

Systems older than 10 years become noisier and dustier. With time, you must want to increase your comfort level and not decrease it. So instead of compromising with noise, debris and still very little comfort, make some good money out and get a quote for a quieter and comforting unit.

Check for consistency

An inconsistent unit means it is not doing enough to dehumidify the space and as a result causing the production of mold and mildew. If this is the case with you, and the Air Conditioner, in addition to being old, noisy and costly is also not doing enough to dehumidify, consider a replacement to an upgraded model.

Leaky Freon?

Getting a fix for a leaky Freon and its refilling costs at least $500 including labor cost and this may become more expensive depending on the cost of Freon. So with such a scenario, instead of having a refill and leak fix, after which, the system will still remain that old system, consider an in-time replacement.

Bloating Bills

HVAC systems as they get older, start to cause a rise in energy bills and the graph only raises with time. So if the system is old, noisy, inconsistent, leaky and after all that, causing hike in monthly energy bills, any wise would replace instead of repairing.

So what are your plan? Are you using a decade-old Air Conditioning system and are still confused between repair and replacement? Try out that calculation formula given above, consider the factors mentioned here and there you go; the best decision has been taken.

A sudden shutting off of an Air Conditioner in the middle of summer can lead to a whole lot of discomfort provided that summer is the season when an HVAC specialist is also not easily available and any serious issue means a long wait for quotes and visit from the technician. The frozen evaporator coil is one common issue that takes place in summers and most homeowners, even though they can solve it, don't know how to do it. Although we highly endorse seeking professional help but truth be told, professional help is not always needed and also there is time when you can't wait for professional help to come. So the best way is to learn some DIY techniques.

Here you go! If the evaporator coil is found covered with ice, here are the steps which you are supposed to perform.

1. First thing first, Turn Off!

The first thing to do is to shut the system off and that too completely. Turn the AC off from the Thermostat. Doing so is important for the next steps and it also ensures that further damage does not take place.

2. Thaw the ice with the system's fan

The next step to follow is to run the "fan-only" mode and let the fan run for some time. It will take air through the evaporator coil and the air will help thaw the ice build-up.

3. Check the blower for debris

The blower fails to push warm air towards the coil if it is filled with dust and debris. The third step, therefore, is to check if the blower is clean. Blowers are a little complex and need to be cleaned by professionals but as said earlier, you may fail to find urgent help so DIY would be the only option. In order to ensure no blunder is made, thoroughly watch some youtube tutorials on how to DIY clean the blower. Follow as directed and you are good to go. 

When a common Toronto homeowner is asked what he knows about HVAC warranty, he usually mentions that it means the company is responsible to fix the appliance issues or offer a replacement unit in case an issue arises during the warranty time period. But this is not all. There are three different kinds of warranties and it is due to not knowing enough about them that the homeowners end up receiving claim rejections because not all warranties are associated with the manufacturing company. Also, as a result of not knowing and consequently not maintaining enough warranty cares that most people end up voiding their HVAC warranty. Having sufficient knowledge about the warranty is important because a warranty is a legal document. And it is in the warranty document that all the details of what it covers and what it does not cover are mentioned. So this blog is dedicated to explaining the types of HVAC warranties and what coverage each one of the discussed warranty offers. But first, let's explore what benefits can be reaped by protecting the appliance warranty.

Benefits of having a valid HVAC warranty

- A warranty (manufacturer's) saves you the cost on repairs when the appliance needs it

- The defective parts, during the time of warranty, are replaced for no extra charges by the company

- If there was a fault during assembling of the appliance parts; in the assembly line, and as a result the appliance caused problems, it will be replaced with a fresh unit

Types of Warranties

Manufacturer's Warranty

As the name suggests, this warranty is offered by the manufacturing company. In order to be able to receive the full benefits of the manufacturer's warranty, it has to be registered with the company or via the dealer. In the case the appliance gets registered, it comes under standard warranty, else the warranty becomes a "base warranty".

Installation Warranty

While not so many people know about this, there is also an installation warranty offered by the installation service who has to be a certified dealer. Usually a 12 month period warranty is offered and in that, any installation defects are fixed by the installer. Interestingly, manufacturing companies do not offer installation defect as part of the warranty. It is therefore that many homeowners have their claims rejected.

If the service you choose for installation offers a warranty, make sure to read the warranty document clearly, and reach out to the installer and not the manufacturer to get this issues fixed.

Extended Warranty

Extended warranties are warranties other than the standard manufacturer or installer warranties. These are offered usually by third parties and sometimes by the manufacturing company itself like Amana and Goodman. The extended warranty is also charged extra and prolongs the periods of the standard warranty.

So how much did you know about warranties before reading this? And, have you ever benefitted from warranties? Also, have you ever accidently voided your warranty? If yes, how.