• 21 Dec, 2022
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What Every Homeowner Needs to Know about HVAC Replacement

If your HVAC system is living on borrowed time, you might be cringing at the thought of replacing it. We get it: it can be stressful to live in a construction zone, not to mention the surprise bill at the end of the job. On top of that, many homeowners are left wondering if they really made the best decision for their home.

However, HVAC replacement doesn’t have to be stressful. Here at Aspire, we have multiple HVAC solutions for homeowners and business owners. Yes, we handle both commercial and residential HVAC projects. Here, we’ll discuss residential HVAC needs, but they are almost the same as commercial requirements. We’ll start by finding the right solution for you. Best of all, we always ensure that you understand all HVAC replacement options. We’ll help you make the best heating and cooling choices for your home and budget. Here’s what you need to know about HVAC equipment along with what to expect when working with our team.

Do You Really Need to Replace your HVAC System?

The first thing we’ll assess when you call us is whether you actually need to replace your HVAC equipment. Sometimes, making repairs is the better option. When you work with some companies, they’ll run up the bill as high as possible. To be frank, most HVAC companies make more money on HVAC installation, so some jump to this option right away. However, we believe in doing what is right for our customer. Therefore, we’ll start by fully inspecting your equipment, air flow, heat and cooling requirements to diagnose the problem. Keep in mind this typically includes indoor and outdoor inspections. Additionally, we may need access to your attic, basement, or crawlspace to inspect the equipment and ducts.

Once we’ve diagnosed the problem, we can better understand the best solution for your home and budget. Replacement makes the most sense in any of the following situations:

• Your HVAC equipment is very old, so getting parts would be expensive
• Broken parts would cost more to replace than replacing the entire unit
• We believe that making a repair would simply be a band aid on the problem

In short, we’ll recommend replacement if it is cheaper than repair. We’ll also recommend replacement if we think that a repair won’t last. Our team of NATE-certified technicians are good at what they do. However, sometimes the best repair in the world will only add weeks or months to the life of your unit. In these cases, we would rather replace the unit than be back again when another component breaks. We love seeing our customers, but needing a repair every few weeks or months can be stressful (and expensive).

System Replacement Benefits

Even if your unit isn’t completely broken, it might be time to upgrade. Replacing your system before it becomes a problem has a few benefits:

• Improved air quality – If your home has a musty or moldy spell despite your best efforts to clean, if could be the HVAC system. With a new unit, you could see drastic air quality and air flow improvements.
• Energy bill savings – Older units just aren’t as energy efficient as today’s models. Additionally, we can install a new thermostat that makes it easy to save money on your bill. As an added bonus, this also means new units are better for the environment.
• Low-stress upgrading – Our busiest times of year tend to be when it is very hot and very cold. It can definitely be stressful to replace a unit during these times of year. Without heat or AC, you might even be forced to stay in a hotel while waiting for the equipment installation. Instead, upgrade your unit during a milder time of year when a few days without heat or AC won’t be a huge issue.
• Increasing your home’s value – if you’ll be selling your home soon, having a new HVAC unit might help you sell for a higher price.

Remember, our in-home estimates come with no commitment for you to purchase. Simply request a consultation at the top of this page to meet with one of our team members.

Which HVAC System is Right for You?

At Aspire Heating & Cooling, we use Trane brand HVAC units. Trane is a trusted company, and it is what we use in our own homes. However, the specific unit you need to depend on multiple factors:

• How large is your home?
• What are your heating and cooling needs?
• Which unit makes the most sense with your current setup?
• What is your budget?
• Do you want special features or upgrades?

When you work with our HVAC technicians, you don’t have to worry about making the wrong decision. We’ll walk you through all options, along with associated costs. Our trained technicians are happy to answer any questions. One of our priorities, and what sets us apart from other heating and cooling companies, is our commitment to education. We make sure our technicians are highly trained. Then, they pass their education along to you by putting everything into non-technical language. They will even explain the SEER rating system, so that you will understand the energy efficiency of the unit that you choose. You don’t have be an HVAC expert to understand our recommendations.

Ductless Units: The Best Upgrade Option for Some Homes

A new central air unit may not be the right choice for your home. Here at Aspire Heating & Cooling, we also install and repair ductless units. A ductless unit controls the temperature of a specific room. However, it doesn’t block a window as you’ll find with window AC units. Here are a few reasons you might want to choose a ductless unit:

• If your home currently uses window AC units, it often costs less to upgrade to a ductless system than to retrofit your home with ducts.
• We install units with temperature adjustment systems. However, when you do want to change the temperature manually, you can easily do so with a wireless remote.
• Ductless units are very fast to install and more non-invasive than with a central HVAC unit installation.
• This is an energy-efficient option, since you can easily control the temperature in multiple zones.
• Ductless units are often much quieter than window AC units.

If a ductless unit is right for your home, we can create a custom installation plan. Check out this page for more details about installing a ductless AC unit.

How Long Will You Live in a Construction Zone?

We know that it can be frustrating to have contractors working in your home. Everyone has been there: waiting hours for workers who never show up or show up very late. Sometimes, the hassle can lead to lost days of work or even the need to move into a hotel while work is completed.

When you work with our team, we mitigate these problems. Part of our quote that we give before we start also includes a timeline. We’ll talk about how long the installation will take and what areas of your home will be disrupted.

Best of all, we show up when we say we will. You won’t spend hours wondering if we’re coming or not. If we schedule work to begin at 8:00 AM, we’ll be there at 8:00 AM. When unavoidable delays happen, such as weather delays, we stay in close communication with you and your family. You’ll always know exactly what to expect.

The length of the installation depends on the option you choose. Some installations are extremely quick, while others take longer. As you can imagine, it is much easier to replace a unit when the ductwork is already in place, for example. This is something we’ll discuss with you individually, when talking about your replacement options.

A Breakdown of HVAC Replacement Costs and How Your New Unit Pays for Itself

The exact cost of your new HVAC system depends on multiple factors. However, any price quote you receive can be broken down into two parts: parts and labor. The price for parts is the actual cost of your new unit and anything else you need. We are a Trane Factory Authorized Dealer and a Mitsubishi Diamond Dealer. So, we can provide the best price possible for the materials we use.

The labor is what you’ll pay our team for the installation. Some companies hide the labor cost in the bill, but we’re happy to break it down if you’d like. We take pride in having fair labor costs. Keep in mind that our employees are NATE-certified, licensed, and insured. In addition, we don’t contract work out to other companies. When you hire Aspire, only the Aspire team will show up on your doorstep for installation.

Although the cost of your new HVAC unit can vary, it will never stray from our quoted price. We believe in transparent, upfront pricing. In other words, the quote you receive will not change by the end of the project. Our technicians won’t find “surprise” or “unexpected” ways to inflate your bill.

What are Your Payment Options?

Replacing your HVAC unit can be a big expense. While we do keep prices as low as possible for our customers, you might still want to find a financing option rather than paying out of pocket. You can, of course, open a home equity loan or line of credit with your mortgage company or bank. Additionally, we have a few HVAC financing options:

• Wells Fargo Bank financing – We work with Wells Fargo to provide 72-month loans for qualified buyers. Convenient monthly payment options are available.
• Microf financing – If you’ve had financial challenges in the past, a Microf lease-to-own option might be right for you. Working with Microf doesn’t require meeting certain credit criteria. Instead, you’ll simply need to meet income/financial requirements.

Keep in mind that you should check with any warranty and insurance programs before you pursue financing. Depending on the age of your home and your specific homeowner’s insurance, your HVAC might be covered. In other words, you may not need to pay out of pocket at all! Or, you may qualify for a full or partial reimbursement. In any case, it is always best to check, just in case.

Maintaining Your New HVAC System

Once you’ve upgraded, you want to keep your new unit in great working condition. We offer customers a full warranty, but this warranty doesn’t last forever. There are a few ways you can keep your HVAC unit in good operation for decades to come.

• Schedule regular maintenance. We recommend that you have maintenance performed once or twice a year. This allows us to clean your system as well as look for any potential problems. Even if you didn’t buy your unit from us initially, we can maintain it. Click here to learn about our maintenance packages.
• Take care of little problems before they become big ones. Small issues like a rip in your ductwork can turn into a full-blown problem like a family of squirrels tearing off entire chunks for their nests. Know your HVAC system and what is normal. If something seems “off,” give us a call; we can help you determine if something is wrong.
• Keep your warranty information in one place. We recommend having a file so this information is easy to access in case you need it.
• Make sure to complete other home repairs. For example, a leak in your roof that drips on your thermostat could cause it to short. You don’t want other home issues to affect your HVAC system.
• Change your filters regularly. How often you’ll need to change them depends on the size of your home. Additionally, factors like whether or not you have pets come into play. We typically recommend changing your filter every one to three months. However, we can give you specific recommendations for your home once we speak to you.

By maintaining your new HVAC unit, you can ensure that it will last many years. Click here to contact us or fill out the form at the top of the page for a free consultation.