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As the temperature changes throughout the year, a quality HVAC unit is an absolute must in most homes. Because a place like Cleveland, TN can experience both the heat of summer and cold temperatures in the winter, it’s critical to make sure that your home’s system can handle both extremes when they arise.
Unfortunately, your heating and AC unit isn’t infallible. Like any appliance, it will need maintenance on a regular basis, and the day will come when the system simply can’t function properly any longer. Before that day arrives, though, your HVAC will send you a few signals so that you can recognize that it’s time for you to make a real upgrade to your system before the system crashes entirely. If you spot any of these issues with your heating and AC system, it’s time to seriously consider a full replacement.
Putting in More Work
Your system shouldn’t be taking forever to get your home to a temperature that’s comfortable for the entire family. If you find that it’s taking quite a while to get your home to the right temperature and it’s not an unseasonably warm or cold day, it’s probably time for you to contact a reliable heating and AC specialist to make an appointment for repairs.
Remember, a little work here and there from your HVAC isn’t cause for concern, especially when you’re going from the chilly temperatures of winter to a beautiful spring day. When the desired temperature is quite a few degrees off from the actual temperature, of course your system will have to work harder. But if it’s doing this every single time that you operate your heating or air conditioning, that’s usually a sign of a major problem that will need to be fixed soon.
Unexplained Spikes in Utility Bills
When inclement weather comes to Cleveland, TN, you might get some strange rises in your utility bill for that month, as your system does what is necessary in order to keep the home’s temperature properly regulated. But if you can’t think of anything that was unique about the past month and you still see a spike in your utility bills, the problem is likely with your HVAC.
What can make this tricky is that these spikes don’t always come all at once. Over time, small spikes can increase the cost of your electric bill without most people even noticing. The best way to check this one out is to compare your current bill to what you had to pay in the same month a year or two ago. For instance, you might compare April 2020 to April 2021 and see how similar the numbers are. If you do spot something that doesn’t look quite right, you might want to find a service to work on installing a replacement.
Aging System
Your HVAC simply isn’t built to last in your home for as long as you’ll be living there. Some parts of your house are made for you to only have to replace once or never, such as when you put in a new roof and expect it to last for 30 years or more.
But your heating and AC system isn’t going to last anywhere near that long with regular usage. In fact, you should probably plan on making a replacement somewhere around the 10-year mark, as this tends to be the age around which most HVAC models end up becoming unusable because of age limitations. Once you get to 10 years, your system is far more likely to break down, and utility bills can pale in comparison to the costs to replace an HVAC completely.
Even if the system at your is able to stand up to the demands of you and your family, you shouldn’t push for too long past the 10-year mark. Once your heating and AC system starts slowing down, you’re going to start seeing the problem in your monthly utility bills. This is where comparing past payments really makes a difference, because this is where you’ll be able to see if the discrepancy is drastic enough to warrant installing a brand new system.
Louder Operations
Do you ever have trouble talking over your HVAC once it gets warmed up? If so, then you’ve got a problem on your hands, because the heating and AC system is actually not supposed to be all that loud when it’s either heating or cooling your home.
In some cases, there’s a simple reason for it being loud: a part might have gotten loose in the system and caused an unpleasant noise to let you know that it’s time to make repairs. But otherwise, a loud HVAC unit means that your system either needs repairs or is on its last legs of operation. A modern, efficient heating and AC system at your home will be so quiet that you barely notice it operating, not so loud that you have trouble making yourself heard. If the latter occurs, it’s time to call for expert help.
High Repair Costs
Your HVAC shouldn’t cause you to have to make repairs every few months, and even if it does, these shouldn’t be more than simple maintenance tasks. If you find yourself paying for a lot of repairs in a short time, you need to take a serious look at installing a new heating and AC system, because one that breaks down regularly isn’t one that’s going to serve your home well. What’s more, all of those repair costs can really add up, which can really make it a no-brainer to swap out your existing system for a brand-new efficient model.
At Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air, we know that our customers rely on us to help keep their homes comfortable all year, and that starts with quality work on their heating and AC systems. If yours is just about ready to be replaced, all you have to do is give us a call. We can repair the old one or replace it entirely, depending on what the situation warrants!
