The house has a builder grade single stage central a/c unit on the patio plus a gas furnace in the attic.
It’s working fine with no sign of reduced performance or failing.
HVAC contractors say you should buy new systems ever 10 to 15 years, but this system is going fine for over 20 years with only simple parts like capacitors replaced every several years along with annual cleaning and maintenance.
I’m not sure whether to replace it just to replace it now or see if it can go several more years closer to 30.
One disadvantage to replacing it now versus waiting is that 10 years from now, the next system would already be out of warranty vs being near new if I waited a few to several more years.
The disadvantage of waiting is that it might fail unexpectedly next year or 5 years from now and I may not be able shop around for the best system and installers.
I would like to get a nicer unit with variable speeds or at least 2 speeds because there is a small, end bedroom that either gets freezing cold or not cold enough compared to the rest of the house on warm nights with the a/c running. I think a lower speed fan could keep that room cool near the same temperature as the rest of the house without freezing it out.
However, besides just the initial additional one time cost of a nicer system, I am wary of getting a system that is too fancy and too proprietary that will end up having a much shorter lifespan and many more repairs with waits for backordered or even discontinued parts as it ages. With the current system, every part it ever needed was immediately locally available if not already on their truck.
I’m also thinking of getting rid of the gas furnace and just having a heat pump unit that can do everything year round.
Any recommendations?
