Before You Sell: When to Replace the HVAC System

When you’re planning to sell your home, you have a lot of decisions to make about updates and repairs to complete before it goes on the market.

If you’re trying to decide if replacing your HVAC when selling is necessary, you’ll want to consider these two factors that can make an equipment update worthwhile:

• Your HVAC equipment’s age. If your air conditioner, heat pump or furnace is close to 15 years old, leaving it in place may alienate prospective buyers because older equipment is less efficient, and it’s more likely to break down or fail.
• The equipment’s condition. If you haven’t kept your older equipment in tip-top condition with regular preventive maintenance, you won’t have a documented maintenance history to help ease buyers’ concerns.

Weighing Drawbacks and Benefits of HVAC Replacement

If you’re now thinking that replacing some or all of your HVAC components may be the wisest choice, here’s some further food for thought on the drawbacks and advantages:

Cost vs. ROI

A single biggest negative of having new heating or cooling components installed before you sell your home is the cost, because HVAC equipment can be expensive. Also, the potential payback from added home value is typically between 35 and 50 percent of the amount that’s spent, which isn’t a high return.

Perceived Value With Buyers

If you simply consider the above-mentioned factors, you might think that replacing your HVAC before selling isn’t a worthwhile investment after all. However, you also need to consider that having new HVAC installed can positively influence a buyer’s perception of your home. If you purchase efficient new HVAC components, you’ll give potential buyers some key benefits that can enhance your property’s perceived value compared to homes with outdated HVAC:

• Peace of mind that they have reliable comfort equipment that’s covered by a manufacturer’s warranty.
• The assurance that they won’t face budget-breaking monthly energy bills.
• Few worries about unexpected costs since the equipment is unlikely to break down repeatedly, or fail unexpectedly.

For personalized advice about whether replacing your HVAC when selling your Orlando-home is worthwhile, contact us today at Rinaldi’s Energy Solutions.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).