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[shelbyshelbyshelby]

Pay now or pay later .

[quilter61]

I agree with what others have said.  Last year when my furnace was inspected it was red tagged.  A cracked heat exchanger.  So the gas was shut off until I got a new furnace.  Did not have time to shop around as it was the beginning of November.  Thank goodness it was not cold and they were able to put in a new one in a few days.

Like others have said I find the new furnace to be efficient.  I got a 2 stage, which means that it does not turn on full if the house is only a little cool.  The 2 stage keeps the house a lot warmer.  I also had a humidifier and smart thermostate installed.  With the new thermostate I can program the times I want the house heated.  I have it set lower for when I am sleeping.  

[LdyBugz]

I agree with all the others that have responded.  It's better to replace it now before it's an emergency situation and safety issue.  

I pushed my old Trane furnace longer than I should have.  It finally pushed back at me and I had to do an emergency replacement in March 2022.  The then 28 year old furnace had a cracked heat exchanger, so beyond repairs.  It was also spewing a horrible smell through the air ducts which caused breathing issues.

I had to wait two days to get the replacement furnace installed.  March in New England is still cold, especially at night.  I used two little space heaters to huddle over to keep warm.  Did I like having to shell out $11K for this?  Nope!  But what I do like now is the peace of mind with not having to worry about the old furnace anymore, the effeciency of the new one, and lower heating bills.  

Better safe than sorry!  Good luck!

[wenfen]

WOW!!! Thanks So Much Everyone! Such kind, thoughtful, knowledgable thoughts & comments. I was 85% in favor of replacing it, but wanted to get other comments & opinions first, so I now totally agree with the large majority of you to just go ahead & replace it ASAP!  I also forgot to tell you that included with the quote, I'll get a new programmable thermostat (the cover on my original programmable one is currently held on with packing tape! LOL) & the HVAC company is giving me a free 10 Year Parts & Labor Warranty (most don't do labor in my city) & additional 20 year heat exchanger warranty by Trane! So now I'll just have to see if I can negotiate a little more off for paying in full upfront & maybe getting a year of free maintenace & I'll be good to go! Thanks again everyone...I really appreciate everyone of you!

[Major Shopper]

@wenfen $7625 sounds like a bargain!

If you decide to replace your unit, please research the units and SEER rating. 

We just replace our old unit with a Trane ($12,500) 15 SEER. 

Doing some homework will be worth it in the end. 

What is the guarantee? 

Covered service for first year at no additional cost?

Also, negotiate a discount for cash if possible. 

[jannabelle1]

We decided to replace our 23 year old HVAC unit two years ago for the same reasons: I was so afraid the old one would just die at the worst of times, and we'd have a hard time finding a replacement and getting it installed during horrible weather. I'm so glad we made the switch to a new one, although that hasn't been without problems. Stay away from the Daiken brand - horrible and we had a lot of problems with it. It's finally working fine since they figured out they needed to replace a coil in the AC condenser.

If you decide to go with a new one, spend the money for a well respected and highly rated brand and one with a great warranty. As others have said, your old one will go out and most likely at an inopportune time!

[PickyPicky3]

@wenfen   Good decision! Now you MUST ask if this equipment is eligible for current rebates and tax deductions. I have been a homeowner for almost 50 years and have never seen better programs. There are direct deductions for your 2023 federal tax and rebates which are different in each state. You can get BOTH. If they are not eligible, it may actually cost less to buy more efficient models which are eligible.

Also, even though you like this company, you must get a second quote from a different Trane dealer. At least you'll learn a few more facts.

About the warranty, ask if you are required to get service from only this dealer.

Good luck!

[gardenman]

Just be forewarned, you don't necessarily have fewer issues with a new unit. Especially if it's one that just hit the market. My last brand-new heater had a flaky circuit board design that caused it to fail repeatedly. My HVAC guy ended up replacing the board with a generic one and that solved the problem. The manufacturer's boards all had the same problem and kept the service people very busy. 

If you can find a unit that's been on the market for a year or two and still gets good reviews, it's typically a better option than one that's just come off the assembly line and is largely untested in the real world. 

[bonnielu]

My system gave up the hottest day of the year.  We had  no choice to replace it.  I will add the olderl ones lasted longer but mine was the end of days.  This new one, although expensive (heat pump version-Bryant) so far has drastically cut my electric bill).  Cannot believe the efficiency and the ease of use.  AND I GOT BACK FUNDS FROM A FEDERAL PROGRAM WITHIN HALF A MONTH.  Yes expensive but bet it will help pay for itself.  

[AuntG]

At 28 years, I'd let it go to the rainbow bridge and replace the furnace and a/c at the same time. Go with a basic model that's been on the market for awhile. Last year, we replaced both even though they still worked, but the technician saw some things that led us to believe the a/c would be going kuput soon. That price sounds reasonable.