HVAC experts please chime in re: heat pump replacement

[NormanBuntz]

I have a 1.5 ton American Standard 13 SEER heat pump system that serves a 680 square foot second floor guest suite that resembles a Residence Inn or Homewood Suites floorplan: large open area with a separate bathroom and large walk in closet. Although it turns 18 years old in November, the system gets less than average use in a guest only area. Summer setting is usually 76-78 degrees. Winter setting stays at a constant 62 degrees. It's in a severe climate area with coastal spray but has been trouble free except for the compressor which was replaced under warranty at about 7 years old. Wife and I expect to keep the home for 3-5 years.

So should I preemptively replace the system with a mid-grade Trane, American Standard or Bryant system, or wait until it craps out? Current duct work has one register in the bathroom, one in the closet and six in the main area, so I'm not considering a mini-split. I know I won't do any repair over $600-700 on an 18 year old system. What say the experienced HVAC folks?

 

[dnewton3]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. It should last those 3-5 years you want it to.

 

[LazyDog]

Just give it some TLC and it would keep on running.

 

[hrv]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. It should last those 3-5 years you want it to.

if you can afford it do it now...It will cost more in 3 to 5 years..

 

[hemitom]

The system gets less than average use as you state ! Who says the system won't last another 5 to ten years .
i wouldn't replace it.

 

[dnewton3]

if you can afford it do it now...It will cost more in 3 to 5 years..

I think you missed his point. He only needs it to last 3-5 years and then likely would move. If it can last that long, it costs him nothing to replace once the house is sold.

Why spend money to replace a running system that someone else would get the benefit from? You NEVER recoup the cost of any investment in a house, dollar for dollar. Kitchen and bath remodels, new appliances, etc .... they all are money losers as "investments".

If it's running, milk it out and see if you can get to that 3-5 year mark and pass the cost on to the next owner.

 

[NormanBuntz]

In my coastal environment, 15 years is the maximum life expectancy of a heat pump system. I'm three years past that so I figure I'm on borrowed time. If I go to sell the house with a 21-22 year old heat pump in 3-4 years, even though it's the smallest of my three systems, the average home buyer will ding me for a hefty seller allowance. It's kind of like the 1972 Fram oil filter commercial: you can pay me now, or pay me later.

 

[SC Maintenance]

In my coastal environment, 15 years is the maximum life expectancy of a heat pump system. I'm three years past that so I figure I'm on borrowed time. If I go to sell the house with a 21-22 year old heat pump in 3-4 years, even though it's the smallest of my three systems, the average home buyer will ding me for a hefty seller allowance. It's kind of like the 1972 Fram oil filter commercial: you can pay me now, or pay me later.

Depends on what the housing market does between now and then. It depends on what the Heat pump does between now and then. Even in factory testing - where we test Mean Time Between Failure - mtbf - there are outliers on either end - meaning if mtbf is 10 years, then your going to have stuff fail at 2 and at 20.

I wouldn't replace it until it breaks. If the buyer wants to negotiate in the future well so what. Maybe you have 10 buyers lining up, or maybe someone would rather have a discount than a 5 year old AC unit.

Put the money you would use for the AC in short term T-bills till needed. Might be tomorrow. Might be never.

Or replace it - its your money. But if you already knew what you were going to do - why ask.

 

[CDX825]

If its in good shape and good running condition I see no reason to replace it.

 

[Nukeman7]

Don't pre-emptively replace the existing American Standard heat pump. The new units are not as durable or reliable as what was made 20 years ago. I'm in the Atlantic coastal area as well and my next door neighbor has a perfectly functioning A.S. heat pump (R-22 freon) that was installed in 1992. If not done regularly, I suggest you clean the fins on the outside condensing unit with low pressure water & dishwashing liquid solution to minimize the corrosion from salt air.

I suggest watching this video for more insight from a HVAC professional.

 

[hrv]

Just looking down the road when you sell the house.. A good inspector will notice how old the heat pump is and also the ducting...So that might be a factor in the asking price for the house...just like how old the roof is..

 

[SC Maintenance]

Just looking down the road when you sell the house.. A good inspector will notice how old the heat pump is and also the ducting...So that might be a factor in the asking price for the house...just like how old the roof is..

And? Once your to inspection their under contract and your only obligated to fix broken things, not old working things. Inspector might list it - but the buyer can ask and you can say no. House sale contingent on inspection of things that are broken or don't meet code. Otherwise you might have to replace the whole house.

 

[hrv]

And? Once your to inspection their under contract and your only obligated to fix broken things, not old working things. Inspector might list it - but the buyer can ask and you can say no. House sale contingent on inspection of things that are broken or don't meet code. Otherwise you might have to replace the whole house.

You can request an inspection BEFORE you sign a contract....I have done this in the past and it paid for the inspection many times over...also if the person goes VA Loan an inspection IS required before the sale and the loan gets approved..

 

[SC Maintenance]

You can request an inspection BEFORE you sign a contract....I have done this in the past and it paid for the inspection many times over...also if the person goes VA Loan an inspection IS required before the sale and the loan gets approved..

So lets assume they pay for a pre offer inspection. And lets say they pay $200 bucks for a HVAC tech to check the pressures, ohm out the capacitors, check for leeks and check the delta T. And everything passes with flying colors, which it likely will if its working. What now? There back to calling it old. Everyone knows that already. It should be in the appraisal without the inspection.

Which brings me to the appraisal will never value the HVAC at what you paid, so if your right at appraisal value then the loan won't approve anyway. Better off to be able to lower the price if you want to finish that offer

You might get offered more for a newer HVAC, but likely not as much as it costs to begin with.

If the OP replaced the HVAC now, it might be 5 years old by the time he sells. Then its old again and he gets zilch.

If you really don't want to sell that way, either put the new one in the day before you list, or offer cash concession at closing. A stretched buyer will want the cash more than a new AC unit for a room they may not use.

They could simply buy a house sale warranty which a lot of people do for the new buyer.

Putting it in now for a potential sale 3 to 5 years from now is throwing money away unless the OP is afraid of not having AC in that room for a few days, which sounds like its not hardly even used.

 

[hemitom]

Just looking down the road when you sell the house.. A good inspector will notice how old the heat pump is and also the ducting...So that might be a factor in the asking price for the house...just like how old the roof is..

Good point but why replace a perfectly working system because it's old .
Would you replace a 15 year old perfectly working car just because it's old ?

If i was selling my home and the buyer started nickel and diming me over old perfectly working equipment they will most likely hassle you over every little thing in the home. ( i would tell them to take the offer and pound rocks )
Nothing wrong with driving a bargain but replacing working equipment for the sake of maybe ?

 

[E150GT]

I replaced my 23 year old air conditioner that was working in December if 2021 because I feared it would die in the middle of summer and getting someone competent to replace it in short notice would be impossible. Well summer 2022 it broke. Twice. What did I replace the 23 year old air conditioner with ? A mid level two stage American Standard. But I think the part I failed on was hiring a competent company to do it. That's the most important part.

 

[Donald]

Unless it's broken I would not replace it. Never get your money back. If an old heat pump is brought up at inspection time you can say listen it's a high quality heat pump that is working fine. Maybe you will have to give some credit at closing, maybe not. Depends on how the sale is going. Maybe the new owner would want a super high efficiency heat pump so he would prefer a little cash towards a new super efficiency one.

 

[wwillson]

if you can afford it do it now...It will cost more in 3 to 5 years..

And if you use the rule of 72, your money that you didn't spend on the new AC will have grown considerably. If you take the chance that the existing unit will run until after the house is sold, then you didn't spend money that you didn't need to and your money grew in an investment. I'll take that chance every time.