When Should Air Conditioner or Furnace be Replaced?
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- Опубликовано: 22 апр 2022
- When should a HVAC air conditioner or furnace be replaced? Is it time to consider replacing your HVAC system when it goes over 10 years old? After all, the average life expectancy is a 10-15 year lifespan. Is it worth paying $5-10k to get a more efficient unit? Will the utility bill savings actually be worth the bulk price up front? I personally don't think so. In this video I go over how long does a residential air conditioner and furnace last and when is it really the time to consider replacing the system. I derive this conclusion after about 8 years of working on residential HVAC units. If they are working fine, it's best to keep the old ones. Anyway, that's the gist of what it's about but I talk about a lot more in the video, give it a listen and let me know what you think.
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#averagehvaclife #hvac #airconditioner #furnace #wordofadvicetv
➡ Other Videos of Interest:
How to Find Age of A/C:
ruclips.net/video/GQZr9jtFE2Q/видео.html
Why NOT to Get A/C Inspection:
ruclips.net/video/JqNsEzb__qs/видео.html
Don't Buy a High Efficiency Furnace:
ruclips.net/video/7d783qs3laA/видео.html
When Should Water Heater be Replaced:
ruclips.net/video/xRtd2lSb4lY/видео.html
What Appliance Brand is Best:
ruclips.net/video/ddy06-ssC8w/видео.html
Are High Efficiency ACs Worth It:
ruclips.net/video/yEo3wu1-J6I/видео.html
How to Find Age of Furnace:
ruclips.net/video/ntBIaY7ncqY/видео.html
Where to Find Model #s of All Appliances:
ruclips.net/video/fc2bvW6o7d4/видео.html
What Are the Best HVAC Brands:
ruclips.net/video/Cy46yTbkNhI/видео.html
I’ve said this before but will repeat it, your parents must be wonderful people to have raised a selfless, honest and giving son. In this day and age, it’s rare to find someone who dedicates his time making videos to help the public.
Thank you Ken! I appreciate the kind words. I am blessed to have the opportunity to make videos like this. May God bless you and yours, have a great weekend!
I agree Ken. Thanks Jay--I especially appreciate our Minnesota connection and your sharing of your Christian Faith. You and your family were smart to get out of the Mpls area after the riots and unrest! I am taking an early retirement from Law Enforcement for the same reasons.
It's all Jay. He's doing this himself. Yeah, sure, parents can guide their children, but if children don't want to be guided, they won't be. So, again, Jay is good at what he does, because he's Jay. This is the way he was born. He was born conscientious and with the willingness to learn.
@@WordofAdviceTV I have a really old but great system and need advice on replacing my compressor with a compatible one. I did your ohm test on the pins and did not get 0 L on each pin. I found one that said it was a replacement, paid for it then merchant called me back and said website wasn’t updated sorry not in stock. I am in middle TN in 100 degrees with 4 boys. I need a compatible replacement quick. This is what I had found I am sure you understand the numbers but I put them here anyway BM701005 H21 A343ABCA
Bristol 3-Ton Compressor
H= High Temperature Refrigerant
2 = R-22
1= Second Generation
A = Recip
343 = 34,000 BTU
A = PSC Motor
B= Internal Line Break
C= 230/208 1 ph
A= 7.5 x7.5 Mounting
Yep he is a rare find... Normally these days you get Scumbags everywhere
I had a company replace my furnace and ac unit for $12000 last year. My second ac unit was giving me issues this past month during this super hot summer. Had the same guys come out to check and diagnose the issue. He told me my ac blower fan was out and I should just replace everything like I did last year because my unit was getting "old". I told him I would think about it and let them know. I ended up just watching your ac blower replacement video and did it myself. Blower was $260. Saved over $11,000 because of you.
If it was only a year old, why didn't you have them replace the blower under warranty?
@@omcbob37 I have 2 units. I had them replace the first one last year. The 2nd one was the one giving me issues this year
You should include your area and the name of the HVAC company. Also, go online and give them (honest) negative reviews. This is to discourage their unscrupulous practice.
I recently had my indoor and outdoor unit replaced. 5 ton heat pump for $11638.20 for a 15 seer Sure Comfort/Rheem from a company in town. Had we not been so hot and out of our minds and had i did some calling around I could have gotten a 5 ton heat pump 16 seer American Standard for about $1100 less! They had 7 year financing from Wells Fargo for 0%.
@@LeuCustomKnives My feeling is that the Rheem is probably worth difference. What astounds me is that a 5 ton heat pump would cost $11K to begin with. Someone has to be making a lot of money off of what is a fairly simple device.
I just replaced my Carrier HVAC that was Installed in July of 1983. It was still functioning when replaced. It was 41 years old.
HVAC Tech over 35 years, business owner for 16. Pretty much everything you said is spot on correct. I fixed countless so called “Shot” Air Conditioners and furnaces, fixed everything from failed Capacitors, low Power or wire problems to cleaning spiders stuck in contractors.
I was a service tech that could install new when needed, not an installer that knew next to nothing about service. I stayed in business and busy during many recession years when people just could not afford to by new equipment. As a result I never needed to advertise to generate business, it found me. So many people getting sold down the river these days with perfectly good equipment, Furnaces and A/C systems being replaced.
I m pretty sure my system is just low on Freon probably a small leak somewhere since I've checked everything else...it's cooling but not very well ... I know they stopped using Freon but do you know if can I still get it charged by someone.
@@vyger6336 R-22 still in the market but very expensive, no less than 125.0 depending in the company you will use + service call😢
Hvac people most of them are crooked because they know they will get some money just for showing up and doing nothing 75 dollars
I appreciate honest techs like you and the guy making this video. I'm a little dismayed with his comment about the new ones not being as good as the old ones---cause I'm looking at replacing my 22 year old system. I expect things to improve----not be made less quality. especially since the price is always going up.
@@captinbeyond They constantly make things cheaper to make them lighter and to cost less money. They just do not last as long.
Good thing you talk about all those thieves that exist in most of any business
I can easily tell you what makes the company more money from the last visit I had from an HVAC company. The fellow was very keen on selling me a new unit despite the fact that I knew it was simply the fan on the outside unit needing to be replaced. With God's help, I fixed the problem myself.
Dude! you are spot on! Recently my Carrier AC unit quit on me. I had a big company come out and suggested I replace the 12 year old unit since it would cost me about $2000.00 dollars to repair; he gave me the list. After watching some of your videos, I replaced the fan motor and contactor switch on the outside unit. It cost me just under $200.00 for parts and is working fine. Thank you so much for the help.
Same here! I was told they don’t make Carrier parts anymore I need to replace it! I said Nope ordered blower motor for 225 and I’m back in business!
@@Reyesgirl1108 I was told the same thing last week. How do you know what correct motor to get if they won’t sell you the one you need?
@@80sGlamRocker1 Plenty of places online you should be able to cross reference the motor based on the model of the unit itself. If you can't find that, just pull the motor and look at the side plate of it. It too will have a model and specs. Then just find a replacement motor with matching power, speed, voltage, and frame size etc.
I currently have a York HVAC system, and it is approaching 30 years. It is still working OK, but the main reasons I am replacing it is because of the high amounts of electricity that is needed to keep it running over the summer. There are some months where the electricity bill exceeds $600.00. In addition, it doesn't cool off the house as good as it used to. And thirdly, because of the age, if it ever needs a Freon replacement, there might be no way of doing this because it is running on the older type, which is no longer available. The company that provides support is Home Serve, and so far I am very happy with their service. The AC unit broke down numerous times, and they finally sent a qualified tech to repair the A/C long term. But at this point, I think it's time to bid farewell to it, and get a new system.
I have a York AC too that is 30 years old it is being replaced next week. Just doesn’t cool as well especially upstairs. I feel like if you can get 30 years out of a AC unit it was a good unit. It is now just time to replace it I wonder will I get 30 years out of it…probably not likely in this day and age.
@@michelefisher9837 That is great. You will feel a big difference with the new unit, and most probably save a lot of money on your utility bills.
As a Landlord with my EPA certification, I have several old GE units still running great at 38 years and counting. I have one old Fredrick unit still running at 40 + years. Maintenance is key. Also, they don't make them as durable as they used to. I believe that the newer equipment is actually engineered to fail at about 10 to 15 years.
So do you or your tenants pay the power bill for summer air conditioning on these very old units?
@@michellewelch6013 Recently, I was thinking of adding a AC to my house. It will cost me $15000 for a new system. Assuming a 4% interest rate for this investment (for rental), there would be $6000 annual interest payment (not including the principle) or $500/month. Are the renter willing to pay $500/month extra for rent or maybe ~$100/month in the summer, assuming the new AC is more efficient?
Had a guy try to tell me to replace my A/C when all it needed was a capacitor. Then he charged me $400 to replace a $30 part. I watched him do the work and now I do my own basic repairs, along with the help of RUclips videos like yours.
Did he hook up his gauges and claim you're also 3lbs low on Freon@$120/lb before he even starts it (he can't know that)?
@@proppo4924 Technically no. He did hook them up to check the pressure but I was watching him like a hawk and he didn't have the opportunity to use that tactic.
Morale of the story is, if you care for your equipment it will last longer than expected.
Having a slight knowledge of these systems, and the upkeep of them is invaluable.
Well said! Thank you for the comment good sir!
I'm a former HVAC guy and my 2.5 ton Carrier condensing unit is 45 years old. I've been the owner for 21 years and only had to replace the dual capacitor. You'll never get that longevity today, even though I know the SEER rating isn't great but I'll take that over the cost of a new system that is cheaply made.
Old is gold 🙂
I heard that....I have a Colman Presidential condensing unit paired up with a Willaimson Temp-O-Matic furnace/air handler that is 49 years old, still cooling & heating just fine.
My rheem unite from 1978 just lost a fan this week $105 for new fan and she is good to go again they made them to last !
I bought a house in December with a 1980’s dishwasher and a 1970 central air unit. Not sure why but those were the only outdated issues with the house, but they both functioned as good as new. I replaced the dishwasher without ever using it, i ran it empty, and I’m replacing the HVAC now. Its about 10,000 btu and my house is 2700sq ft so it is not efficient at all
I have a 15 year old york* r22 .. I want to upgrade the condenser cause the bill is high during the summer out here in Palm Springs … but 410a??? Idk . I don’t want it . But I need that higher seer . Idk I’m stuck in the middle
Jay you are right about the old units. My furnace was built in 1973 and in was the original furnace in my house built the same year. I replace it in 2020. That's 46 years! I maintained it scrupulously incorporating many of your tips. Cleaned fan blades, replace brittle wires, replaced sequencers, kept evap coils spotless, etc! Original evap coil and fan! The install crew freaked out when they saw it. It was a Fedders. My AC man also told me the same as you advise "Does it work? If yes leave leave it alone." He was one of the honest AC techs as you are.
This is most honest and common sense video I seen on RUclips
My brother you are a blessing for real, I pray for you, God will bless you greatly for your honesty and help you bring to everyone 👍🏽🙏
Thank you for what you do. There are still good people out there and you definitely have proven this. You saved me last week a couple of hundred dollars when my outside unit stopped working. Called the HVAC guy and could not come and check out the problem for a few weeks. With a 4 yr old toddler in my household and close to 90 degrees outside temps that just wasn’t acceptable. Followed all your videos and was able to repair the unit myself. Thank you thank you thank you! True Angel sent especially nowadays when everything is so expensive and living paycheck to paycheck is critical. Thank you!
I am an hvac technician. I pretty much agree. Systems need to be replaced when the you as the homeowner are ready for that. My philosophy is that my job is to give you the information on your system. You get to do whatever you want with that info. You want to get a new one? Your call. You want to repair it? Your call. You wanna leave it as is and do nothing? Your house your rules.
This is the best technician philosophy. We tell you what's up and supply some options. Bandaid repair, restoration repair, enhancement, replacement, or nothing at all. (Or anything in-between).
I love it! Great philosophy. Present the information and allow the homeowner to make an educated choice. Thank you for the comment!
I agree I’m raising my son on my own I have a question why is there putty all around the connections tubing etc.? I’m trying to fix my air conditioner central air 🤣 the putty is all driedAnd crumbly do I need to replace it? 🤔 also what is the putty do around all that hosing I just unclogged the drip hose and the caulking is cracked. 😅 lol
@@memejmoon9716 just a question. When you say tubing is it copper or PVC? It is either glue or sealant. Usually put around places where gaps can cause air leakage or used to glue PVC connections together? What are the symptoms your ac is having?
@@frankresendiz3113 well I turned on my air conditioning and it’s leaking I unclogged the drainage hose and cleaned out the safety shut off didn’t shut off there was caulking all over it kind of like flexible clay.( The party was around the drainage nozzle and the red cap I guess that’s supposed to be the shut off valve but it’s not shutting off just was leaking from it also but I stopped that from that area) have a furnace air conditioner called Carrier It’s an old unit
I noticed water coming from the other side of the unit where you pull off the door it’s very minute but within a day I’m worried it might leak into the outlet that’s connected to the unit.
I’m thinking since I was unable to drain the unit right away that insides started to ice up so I have shut off the unit and put it on air mode to melt the ice if there’s any in there. We’re at 90° today tonight we’re at 88 high humidity😅
The party winner around it was like a lot of things but it’s all brittle it looks like Play-Doh not around the PC pipes it’s so much of the actual holes🤣
Maybe I can talk to you tomorrow I had a concussion yesterday doing yardwork and A bat house fell on my head from 12 feet I’m still having a hard time thanking due to the concussion.🙃
Thank you for responding also I found the back vent was clogged on the unit was dirt clean that out that’s why I was thinking maybe the unit was possibly starting to freeze up I wanted to stop it right away and restart the air conditioning unit tomorrow I’ll let you know how things work out tomorrow.
You are amazing The world needs nice people and you’re one of them💝👍🎉
And yes it was a bat house 🦇👀🤣 when something that large hits your head I don’t think anyone would be normal for a few days 🙃
YOU ARE RIGHT! I LIVED IN TOWNHOUSE THAT WAS BUILT DURING 1970, AND THE CONDENSER AND HVAC WERE MADE 52 YEARS AGO. AND, THEY WORK GOOD PERFECTLY NOW AND WILL FOR THE NEXT 40 YEARS.
I really appreciate a man and technician like you you are a diamond in the rough keep up the good work.
"Your compressor is bad." was the first tech's statement. The organization he works for is honest and they sent another, much more experienced gent, to verify that conclusion. He said the pressures were a bit wonky so he balanced things. I went from a big bill to a service call.
Thank you so much for your advice. My Goodman HVAC is 21 years old and works great. I was thinking of replacing it just because of its age. I will now wait until it really needs to be replaced, You're the best!
"It works perfect. So I replaced it anyway."
Best to do an energy analysis on what the costs are. New units are way way more efficient and can save big $$
My goodman system is about the same age as yours, working fine except small leak in the evaporator coil and needed a few ounces of freon per year, i have all the spare parts which i bought online very cheap except Evaporator coil and outdoor compressor for the system. I can troubleshoot and replace part myself, so it's a lots of money saving. I haven't called any HVAC tech for 10yrs.
@@khuongvtube In 21 years I think I had a repairman over twice. I was told that my Goodman was built with metal parts.. Now they use cheaper parts.
@@khuongvtube Technically it is illegal for a 608/609 certified tech to keep adding refrigerant to a know leaker.
Lifespans can vary a lot. My first unit was installed in 1979. Crapped out in 1993. New one installed in 1993 still working. This year had to replace the blower fan. Bought a deep freezer in 1977. Died just 6 years later! The 1983 replacement is still working!
Keep up the good job men. Also there's scary world out there. Meaning: hard to find an honest HVAC service technicians.🤐😩
Thank you! And yes, unfortunately it seems like there's quite a few dry branches on the HVAC tree.
That is why I learned how to work on my unit and help who ever need help charging a small labor.
It's always a good idea to get a friend or acquaintance to recommend an HVAC co.; another source will be a trade association; check your Yellow Pages or go online. Good companies also have good answering services!
Oh they’re not hard to find at all you just need to be willing to pay them what they’re worth, customers who will call a “chuck with a truck” because it’s cheaper and then complain about bad service im not sorry to say but you get what you pay for, cheap isn’t honest & honest isn’t cheap
That's why I got an HVAC degree
Take care if it, changing filters, keep clean, annual maintenance, etc…of course it will last longer. But these newer models are about 12-15 years…almost like they build them to start failing at this time frame
Thank you for the education. I really needed to hear that. You settled something in my mind about my old air conditioner. I am going to leave it be.
Thank you so very much buddy! Everything that you said in this video is a "straight truth" . I stand up behind you for your honesty. We need more technicians like you in the field. 👍
good advice. my furnace is over 30 yrs old, still going. thinking of replacing due to its age. now i will rethink. thanks
Wish there were more people like you in this world. Thanks so much for your honesty. I have learned so much watching your videos and tutorials...
I bought a Tran 31 years ago and installed it myself. Just replaced it with a York last year and the Contactor on the ac condenser started making a lot of buzzing, It still worked fine the noise just drove me crazy. After having a unit for 30 years with no problems. I can tell the newer units aren't made as well. thank you for your videos I learned a ton!!
You sir are spot on and very correct! For example, my HVAC system is over 35 years old. The heating system a Carrier brand original to the home and on the A/C side was added in 1993 . The only maintenance done was replacing the air filter every 6 months, vacuuming and a little oil once a year The only failure was a Freon leak about 10 years ago from a small A/C line leak. A quick fix with some EZ SEALER AND DRYER kit . Added new Freon and the system has been trouble free 🤞Luckily I live in a not too extreme climate so it’s not on all of the time. All it takes a good quality system to start with and regular maintenance and it’s all good. Thank You for your honesty!!!😇
Hi Jay, Lots of great video you made through the years. Retired general contractor. We've worked always to give our customers the best honest quotes and had subcontractor we worked with to do the same and get quality work and great customer service. Your professional options I agree with. Our intentions are to always help people out. I seen you done this in the field. Thanks so much. You even thought a old dog new trick of the trade on HVAC even being retired it always helps.
When a contractor is honest and trustworthy their reputation spreads like wildfire from one happy customer to their neighbors, friends and family.
Jay, your advice is spot on. What’s the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”! Your older videos show how to clean out,off the outside compressor & naturally change your filters often. If you take care of this expensive equipment it should serve you well thru the years😁
You must remember that mechanical equipment needs yearly maintenance; check filters monthly; drain lines twice a year, etc. Overgrown foliage around outdoor units can be a problem. Checking pressures and electrical parts maybe out of the scope of the homeowner and he/she may end up hurting themselves!
I agree with @ Bob boscarato, with equipment like HVAC, it should be maintained at least once a year, the whole “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” in my personal opinion isn’t always a good adage to follow, for instance : why do we get oil changes so often if our vehicle is running just fine? That’s an easy one to answer. Same with any type of electrical equipment, unfortunately electrical components wear out over time and no longer operate at 100% capacity, that capacity will dwindle until it eventually gives out completely, don’t wait till that happens, if you don’t get an oil change ever, your engine eventually will seize. The whole “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” will cost you a new vehicle. Food for thought :D
@@henryalcocer5127 I spent 58 years in the HVAC business and found out those who neglect maintenance are the first one to complain and blame everybody else!
Wow! Thanks for being straight up and honest. I wish there was more people like you. You helped me restore a little faith in humanity. I wish you the best in life!
Everything you've said is true. I've been called for a second opinion and diagnosed the issue where the previous company lied. Honestly will take you much further 👏🏾👏🏾
I like your channel a lot as it covers the hands-on AC status quo. If it comes to Goodman we have in SC two units for exactly 21 years and 11 months. Both units are working great. There was a need to replace $5 staring caps several times during that time. That's all. We are ready to upgrade but after those two units retires. Thanks.
Your are a honor HVAC guy. I agree and praise your knowledge and advise.
i fix my own Hvac, i have replaced my capacitor, condenser fan motor, contact point as well as the 24V transformer. i do clean my own ac too. now 24yo and still running strong. these parts are cheap to buy on ebay.
That's awesome! I love to hear that and kudos to you for taking care of it all yourself. 👍👍👍 Keep it up and may your unit last you another 24 years easy!
Same here except when something goes bad and you need the part, I'm told "we only sell to Techs". I have a Lenox furnace that's was installed during the early 70's and has only needed a gas valve and thorough cleaning and works fine. Tech keeps trying to sell me a RUUD cause my system uses R-22
Really appreciate your informative videos on HVAC equipment. Cannot agreed more that it is a must to obtain a 2nd opinion on major decision on HVAC equipment. Long story short, my case was I ended up replacing a failed inducer blower in a 16 year old furnace costs $400 while the first recommendation was to replace with a new furnace costs $4k. The repair has been good for more than 2 years. Go figure.
I've been in the field for 10yrs now and can say that this is all 100% correct ( and good advice ).
I’ve watched several of your videos regarding repairing my air conditioning system. Thank you for taking the time to thoroughly explain everything. You really have something going for yourself.
You should consider making a video regarding the insulation of the refrigerant lines outside.
Thanks again
I love your videos, very informational i just got started in HVAC and this channel has helped sooooo much. Your straight forward and don’t bullshit at all. Keep up the good work and I hope this channel grows enormously, thank you so much!!!!
I wish there are more honest guys like you! Thank you for all your tips and I totally agree with you. They do not make any good quality goods anymore! 😞 so sad. Wish me luck in finding an honest HVAC technician
Spot on advice and so true about business practices of some HVAC companies. Got the quiz answer correct ! As a draftsman for 40 years it would have been disappointing to miss that one !
My 49 year old Lennox AC unit is still running just fine, as is my 25 year old, cheapo Ruud furnace, which sits a few feet away from my 71 year old Crosley Shelvadore refrigerator. Yep, they just don’t make ‘em like they used to!
After 21 years, I just replaced my a/c unit and furnace to the tune of $10,200 here in Las Vegas 2 weeks ago. My first quote was $12k so I thought $10,200 on second quote was okay so I went ahead. The tech wants $2,100 to fill 7 lbs. of R-22 refrigerant and not guaranteed it solves the problem so I decided to have the whole thing replaced. Its a Goodman 5 ton seer 14. Its so true that its hard to find an honest technicians now a days. Its a crazy world we live in.
AC tech here in Arizona, actually in Vegas now as I’m typing this lol I love to watch these videos and read through the comments, definitely overpaying though, we typically charge roughly $7,500 for a 5 ton HVAC system and we also only do Goodman/Amana/Daikin, but you may be replacing a lot of duct work so then again that price might be okay. Just really depends.
@@henryalcocer5127 Hello. No duct works. Just condenser, furnace, and evaporator coil replaced. I was quoted $8k 6 years ago to replace the whole thing but I just decided to replace the compressor. Arizona is a lot cheaper than here in Las Vegas, NV. Same goes with the gas price. Las Vegas is getting expensive to live in thanks to Californians moving in.🥺
Thank you so much Jay and I do concur with a good analysis of cost balancing between replacement or repair of a unit. All these things that you mentioned about other company business philosophy along with those not-so honest technicians actually drove me to invest time and money to become my own HVAC mechanic (after someone hooked me up for $325 two wire nuts replacement and unnecessary $675 condenser fan motor replacement) helping out my elderly neighbors whose incomes or resources are pretty much limited. Very much appreciate your time and energy, keep up the great works that you do.
If everyone is half as good and honest as you, this world will be paradise.
This world needs the technical suggestion like this one. Thank you so much for your great work!!!!?
We replaced both our Lennox furnace and A/C units last September after 21 years. The A/C was leaking like a sieve and couldn’t keep a charge anymore. We decided 21 years was enough and we replaced the whole thing with Bryant units. Much more efficient than the original ones. Unfortunately everyone was booked up and we had to suffer through a month in late summer without A/C before the work was completed.
God bless you!!!! An honest tec. far and few between----from an electrician of 50yrs. Jim
Thank you so much for your professional advice. You are a tremendous addition as a DIY and RUclips content providers
Got a Goodman and it is still running going on 22 years
Nice! May it last you another 20 years easy good sir!
You are awesome! I am a single lady and you helped me fix my furnace in December! Now my ac is on the frizz and you inspired me to get a compressor motor and fix it. I just got it today and here's hoping all goes well! I really appreciate your videos and your honesty!
U gonna need to many tools for you to do it not worth it. U going to need gauges vacuum pump torch nitro etc.
You should hire a HVAC tech to replace the compressor. I have a new spare compressor in my garage. When I need the new one installed, I will get get a AC tech to do it. I am an professional engineer, and I have the knowledge and materials to do the job. Also, legally, you can not do it without the proper license.
To be clear, did the fan on your outdoor unit (condenser) go bad, or did the compressor (which is inside of the condenser unit) go bad? Some folks call their outside unit the compressor..
Again: your experience, observations, and conclusions are , in my hairy opinion are correct. As a homeowner I need to consider who is telling the truth.
So the truth is: that a furnace should last , ready for this, as long as you live.
Now if you want a more modern, more advanced, more complexity, then replace.
If the manufacturer really BELIEVES in their products then they should have the parts to replace them; if not, the only conclusion I see is PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE.
By the way… how many RUclips videos did you need prior to the WiFi thermostat… modern, advanced, complex …
Tomorrow comes at a price, there is no fair price, the price is what you honor.
Thanks 🙏
Please keep up your messages.
Please remain a man of honor
Love your honest opinion. It gets right to the point without trying to outsell any BS. This world is all about $$$ and less honesty people out there doing and earning a living. I'll gladly pay any honest services technicians out there, keep your number for referral and future works. Great job
I am a Technician I total agree with u. I have ran into plenty of them where compressors was comdemned to be bad but turned out to be a functional compressor. Some required just a contactor or capacitor which I did until today they're still running well
Awesome info from an Awesome tech guy!!! My comfort maker has been going strong for 22 years now 🤞🤞🤞 and the only thing I've had to replace was the capacitor, maybe about 4 or 5 times over that period. Now I just keep a couple on hand, especially in the summer so we won't be down for too long. Thanks Jay!! 👍👍
Smart to keep those handy. And if you're handy yourself, replacing those aren't that hard.
Thank you Silver Grizzly! Glad you liked the video. May your comfort maker last another 20 years for you good sir! With only the capacitor failing once every 10 years 😅
American Radionics (AmRad) makes universal capacitors. You select the size using jumper wires. They are dar and away superior in quality to others. Also American made, if that is important to you. They are a jump in price, but well worth it for the ease and quality.
My grandma has a packaged Payne unit, just over 20 years old. 2 winters ago I had to replace the motherboard and flame sensor for good measure (about $250). Last winter I replaced the blower capacitor (about $15). Not bad and helps out my grandma who is not rich. It’s fun figuring out what the problem is and fixing it.
Fabulous! You described our situation. Love you and your channel! THANK YOU!
Great video, with very useful information and great advice, told in very clear terms.
*My unit, Carrier, is 22 years old.* About 12 years ago it "quit" because the refrigerant level was low. After adding the refrigerant, at no charge, it ran fine until two years ago when a wire in the unit shorted. Cost of repair, $100. Two weeks ago it "quit" again. I guess it overheated. Because, at some point the unit started working again. This time, the first technician that stopped by did not bother to check the unit at all (by then the unit was working fine again). He just prepared an estimate and left. The second technician, actually opened the unit and checked a few things. He said the only thing of concern was the motor. He offered to replace it if it eventually broke. I am still waiting on his estimate. This is the same company that fixed the shorted wire. The owner told me, they prioritize cases where the units really need a replacements. In other words, because mine still works, it can wait. I know the unit is on its last leg, by like Jay says (4:30), if it can be repaired at a reasonable price why spend money on a replacement?
Another thing to consider is efficiency. Clearly, old units, like mine, are not as efficient as modern ones. So, by all means, if you can afford to spend $10,000 due to efficiency concerns go for it.
I totally agree with everything you said. On more that one occasion I have had an A/C tech come to fix our A/C. We paid the company who installed our HVAC system when the house was built back in 2004 to come out twice a year for maintenance. We had the house built so, from 2004 until 2022. We just replaced the HVAC system after the unit went out on Mother's Day 2022. We purchased a Daikin HVAC system @ just over $16,000.00. By getting the new HVAC system we also fixed a problem with our lights in house going dim for a couple of seconds every time the old unit would turn on and run. Since the new system had been installed the lights in the house have not dimmed once. During the installation of the new system we also found out why water/condensation would flow into the garage from the bottom of the old unit. The company that installed the original system had the drain line running down toward the interior of the garage for one thing. The second problem with the drain line was not even connected with pvc glue to the line that run to the outside of the house. The would leak into the air handler box and we didn't see that because the line was incased on the inside of the air handler box. We definitely needed to upgrade our system even though it was not an easy pill to shallow we saw the price of the new system. We did get our monies worth out of the old system some 18 years. Thanks for the information and the time you spent with your video. Hope you get tons more views and subscribers.
Many years ago the best HVAC guy I had was a young 22 year old just starting off, he was polite did very good work at a fair rate. 10 years later he had 7 Vans on the road and became like everyone else. Sell sell sell.
Yep...there is a bell curve with any business as to how many employees and work to have before the curve starts changing the more work and employees starts to kill profits due to business related expenses. At some point, a 3 van team might just be the holding point for said business depending on the core philosophies and honesty they want to achieve. More business is not worth taking on if you have to find dishonest ways to support the added work with vans, insurance, employees, work comp, health ins, equipment, liability and so forth. There's a point reached when as you say, the work had to change to support the added overhead so they did what lots do, made the trade turn into a profit minded business as a first priority. SAD...thats when a company turns against loyal customers.
@@Garth2011 exactly!!
Hey this was great and very timely for me. I just got the bad news yesterday and will go out and get some more quotes. Thank you for the frank and honest information.
Great video Jay! I just got my AC replaced last yr after previous owner had it for 23yrs...
Thanks. Great advice. My neighbor has that $150 a year service deal. He bought a new furnace and a/c last year on an up sell.
Yeah.. It's a normal occurrence. Sometimes its worth it, sometimes not. Up to each homeowner to decide 🤷♂️
Such a great informative video! Thank you sir.
This video is telling the Truth, I had 3 HVAC companies come out and tell me that my compressor is out and I need a new system up until the 4th company came out and fixed the issue for $300 bucks. This world is a nasty place that's full of greed and liers. Be very carefully and trust no one.
Thanks so much!!!! Great video!! Hard to find honest people that do and say what they will really back up!!!
I also take into account the efficiency and savings per month on an electric bill, over time they will get their money back in electric savings especially if they are going from a 10 seer system to a 17 seer system. Sometimes the math works out in the customers favor.
This young man is spot-on!! I have worked in the field and I can absolutely related to many of his comments, is so unfortunate but its reality like he also said. thank goodness to him that he has the knowledge and guts to put it up here so the many people can benefit from!! blessing to you and your young man.!
I agree with everything you said. My Mom's Tempstar had a rubber hose leaking I replaced with heater hose. Then the exhaust blower quit. The unit was 21 years old. Seems to be doing great. My Furnace was getting roll out faults right at 20 years old. I could not diagnose it for sure but elected to replace. My scrap man found pin holes in the heat exchanger. I put in a 2 stage this time significantly saving on propane.
Excellent information. This subject has crossed my mind many times.
As an engineer, I agree completely with they don't make them like they used to! It's common knowledge at this point that most appliances are suffering from planned obsolescence. Essentially manufacturers of most major devices intentionally design parts to fail prematurely in order to get you coming back for another order.
I don't agree with the hospital analogy though. I'm married to a physician, and they are doing their best to help you with your ailments. Trust me when I say that other than a few bad eggs, they really DON'T want you back in the hospital, they have enough patients to take care of. I just think it can be a little dangerous to sow more doubt into trusting your doctor - they're a professional with years of advanced training, if you don't trust them it'll make your patient care worse. Anyway thanks for your great videos, love the content!
The individuals in medical profession may do their best, but the industry is rigged by for profit insurance companies
Also beware of low ballers who quote a low price and then come up with other surprises.
Great video. I have a Lennox gas furnace that doesn’t have a circuit board that was in my house when I bought it in 1994 and it still works. It’s not as efficient so I burn more gas but My furnace doesn’t have junk circuit boards that need replaced at $600 a pop, and I’ve only had to replace a blower motor one time since 1994,
so I paid a technician one time in 27 years. With the newer furnaces you will never be that lucky. And companies try to scare customers about carbon monoxide issues caused by cracked heat exchangers; and while carbon monoxide is a real danger,,,sometimes they just tell customers that to scare them into buying a new unit.
I’m an engineer plus I went to hvac school and I still don’t believe all of marketing hype nor do I want a newer furnace when mine continues to perform well.
If you don't own one or two already I will suggest to get smoke detectors as well as carbon monoxide detectors (hard--wired with battery backup).-
my 1964 furnace needs orifices cleaned and a new gas valve
Yes...know that heat exchanger story very well. Premier/Goettl had a few heat exchangers go bad in the late 1980's early 1990's and the law forced them to buy them back, in CA. They simply quit business mainly because only a few were having issues and the law wanted all of them changed. So unfair. Today, no HVAC will touch them even if they work fine.
Thank you. Honest guy with no BS.
My Rheem gas furnace was 34 years old when it was replaced in 2014 with a 96.5% furnace with added a/c. The Rheem still worked fine and never had a repair or an “annual inspection.” Just changed the filter regularly. New unit is a Bryant. So far, no issues and only filter changes.
My 1979 Carrier A/C still provides a delta T of 15-25 degrees(84@cold air return and starts at about 64 taking it to 55ish maybe even 53 to 49 at the plenum within between 10 to 15 minutes of running) on 85-104 degree days depending on the day and at what ambient indoor room temperature I opt to turn the A/C on(which is usually between 79 and 84 degrees)and the outdoor/indoor RH. The furnace is also a Carrier(though of 1992 vintage). The capacitor in the A/C is from September of 1976...my grandmother was ripped off by the company that installed the unit...she had it installed in 1979 and they sold her a 3 year old unit as new !!! I mean it was a new unit. However, it was 3 year old stock sitting in their warehouse...
1979 is really good! Thank you for sharing, may your unit easily last another 20 years for you!
What happened to you grandma tends to happen a lot. Although 3 years is up there.. 😅
@@WordofAdviceTV Yes, instead of the owner of a company or one of their salesman looking out for someone who possesses less knowledge and helping them through an expensive and sometimes complicated upgrade decision there are those who will take advantage of anyone anywhere that they can do so and get away with it...also oversold a 3.5 ton unit for a less than 1500 sq. ft. home ! I inadvertently found an exploded Therm Start capacitor a few years ago that I did replace; however, I don't really know if that part had just blown up or had been in the blown-up condition and the unit was running in that condition anyway and, if so, for how long if it had been operating with the blown-up therm start cap in the condition that it was...as it was one of several internal disks that blew out of it had landed on top of and very close to causing a short on the contactor. Fortunate that the unit could operate without vibration somehow causing that disk to fall down into/onto the contactor !!! Fortunate that the unit still functions when I require !!! After replacement and for the past few years the unit has been much quieter upon start up than it had been for years. BTW, that is when I discovered that the oval 11" run/start capacitor is from 1976.
That's an honest, thoughtful review. In automotives, a big part of the problem is weak diagnostics, because diagnosis can take time that is not paid for in the flat rate fee schedule. A tech who is cutting corners or who doesn't know how to quickly diagnose the problem will guess and replace the most likely bad part. It isn't so much dishonesty as it is weak diagnostic skills. They also want to be covered if further efforts to fix the problem lead to discovery of other issues, so up front they naturally make the quote a little high so the customer isn't surprised at the end.
Ur a true professional!! Wish more techs like u!! Ur the man keep up the fantastic work
I agree with you totally, the unit in my house is a 2002 Payne system. had one minor repair on the furnace and one minor repair on the outdoor condenser. the house was built in 2002 so its original. other than the 2 repairs we've not had any issues in the 7 years we've lived in the house. I prefer to repair things rather than replace, I think I tend to keep things going longer than they should, I understand that there is a time and a place where the unit needs to be changed. well balanced video sir, very honest
I agree with you cause your an honest tech ... I picked ''C'' on the pyramid ... Have a good weekend ... Thx ...
Lol thank you Eddy! You're a great man! Good to hear that you picked the right answer! 😄
Have a fantastic weekend as well my friend!
Always love your consumer-friendly advice and so glad you addressed this. My unit is well, OLD and I live in Fla. Agree 'don't make them like they used to' applies to every major thing! Very glad you added analogies for plumbing, dental etc. People need to grasp basic 'marketing strategies' and apply them to EVERYthing. I just bypassed a $10K re-pipe job (might be a good vid to do if you haven't already!). Got a single contractor $1K repair instead. Plumbing co mentioned 'we have financing available' both first thing on phone consult and AGAIN at arrival for estimate. Big flag for me. Same @ dentist w/ the financing. .... Also... grown son just went in for cleaning covered by insurance, having no problems. Dentist claims need to replace a filling. Procedure resulted in 3 months of agonizing nerve pain, ending in $1000's root canal and crown. I tried to warn him. I NEVER take their word for anything at face value. EVER.
My only caution is to not immediately shut down a quote just because a company offers financing. If companies didn't, they would likely go out of business. Not everyone can just drop 6-10k for a furnace or water heater. Most companies only benefit they relieve from offering financing, is that you go forward with forward with repair or replacement. I've seen it benefit customers who can't afford it otherwise.
Thank you! I appreciate you sharing your personal experiences. I can totally sympathize, especially with your son. When I was a teenager my parents had good dental insurance that covered everything so one time they decided to take all the kids for a checkup. ALL 6 kids, including me, (who I believe had perfectly fine teeth) ended up getting 2-4 of those metal mercury fillings. Dentist basically scared my parents into it by saying it can become a severe problem, this is necessary preventative maintenance, there are cavities, etc. and since it was fully covered by insurance they agreed with it. Of course he didn't explain that all the kids would be getting fillings at the start, that was discovered along the way..... Because of that experience I am especially wary of dentists as one may have guessed from the video 😅
My dentist recommended I needed a "deep cleaning" of the gums since I have a few pockets that measured 5mm. He started saying "gum disease is imminent without it," and giving me the hard sell. I did some research and discovered that the ADA only recommends the procedure when you have a MAJORITY of 5mm pockets - and that doing the procedure prematurely can actually make things worse because it can tear the gums away from the teeth. I went to another dentist for a second opinion and they measured less than half the 5's of the first dentist and said no problems. It's been 7 years... still no gum disease and I dumped my first dentist. ALWAYS BE A SKEPTIC AND DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH AND DOUBLE CHECK. It's sad there's so much corruption in the world... but that's reality...
Back in the mid-sixties, my mom who was in her early 30's at the time got talked into having ALL her teeth pulled and replaced with dentures. I shudder to think how much pain she went through for probably no good reason at all at the hands of some charlatan. But generally back then people accepted without question what most "experts" told them. Back then, practically every other kid had their appendices and tonsils removed just to get rid of those "troublesome organs" too.
@@darev2335 They can offer financing, but when it's at the front-end of the script before they even know a customer is 'at need' financially = big flag. Much less offer any alternative repair solutions .. &/or grossly over-quote the alt repair option to entice the financed BIG bill.
I mentioned this before in one of your previous videos but I will repeat it again for your viewers because it is more feasible for this video. I called an HVAC company because I had no A/C. He showed me that the fan is turning very slowly and that the unit is old and needs replacing (maybe 12 yrs old). He told me I need a whole new furnace and condensor. I knew nothing about HVAC same as many homeowners, so he quoted me a price and sold me on the unit he would install, and I agreed. I know you know right away what the orginal problem was, but for your viewers I'll explain: All I needed was a capacitor, my fan just need the boost a capacitor gives to start the fan. Bang I got screwed as many have. Thanks for your honesty. God Bless. I'm hoping your enjoying Hawaii.
You are a treasure. Thank you for your opinions, which put those that take advantage of others on their toes. More truth and light on the subject please.
Thank you so much for the advice, just saved me a lot of $! 2nd opinion was much cheaper to fix our system
Thanks for this!
Would also like to see you include an analysis that takes into account energy cost savings - factoring in SEER and furnace efficiency into the replacement equation. I’m rocking 27 y/o Trane XE1000 (10 SEER and only used for AC) and a 91% XE90 LP furnace. I repair my own gear, so ongoing costs are really inexpensive, but would like to know how quickly I’d recoup new equipment investment with modern, higher SEER AC and whatever efficiency we’re up to now with furnaces. Keep up the great work man!
Great video. My A/C condenser unit was manufactured in 1990. I just replaced the condenser fan motor Aug. 2021. Yesterday, July 18th of 2022, the compressor stopped working; I'm hoping it's just the start capacitor. As far as I know the capacitor is original. Not too shabby for 32 years old. Wish me luck!
So true - thanks! My HVAC was doomed 12 years ago by my maint. company and it still works well. Lately my capacitor was on the way out and I was given a quote of $350 to replace/install it. I bough one on line installed it myself after watching a how-to youtube vid. and it cost me $15.
My 20 year old furnace went out last Christmas due to motherboard issue, and the technician quoted us $2000 to have it repaired; so we went out to get a few quotes for a full set of 5 ton new HVAC from the technician, HomeDepot, Costco, and a contractor. Eventually most of them including Costco are a rip-off where they want to charge us somewhere around $7,000 for just the furnace, or $12,000 - 14,000 for full set after all the BS incentive/giftcard/rebate. We just went with our HVAC contractor to have AC + furnace + Coil all replaced with quote of $7500 cash deal with Goodman brand, and now all of them are running great.
could you share contractor's contact info?
As a homeowner and mechanic business owner you are 100% right on this topic and how business work in US unfortunately.
Thank you for confirming! Yeah, it's unfortunate but as long as people are aware of it, it's not too bad. 👍
The technician who came out to house last week recited your upsell speel word for word, even got into the "New Refrigerant" routine. When we called him out on it he got real defensive and wouldn't let up, doubling down like Trump at a rally.
When I asked him why I would a system that was working fine, he said that the Government would deem our system ILLEGAL in 2025. By that time I had tuned him out while he was showing me pictures of my "corroded " outside compressor box. Your video was spot on , great info. He got into the warranty stuff when I told him I was going to get another opinion from a company we have used for years.
He didn't like hearing that we could wait for it to break because we have portable units in the garage to hold us over. Love your videos!
Thank you 😊 people like you make the world so much better!
The Lennox unit in my house is already 30 years old and it is still kicking. The only issue is the Freon gas replacement which cost a fortune, hence I'm considering a new AC unit.
Why not just upgrade to the new eco friendly freon?? My Lennox unit was new in 1965 and still kicking cold.
Great video information, Thanks.
As a homeowner that has a heatpump, the problem is the big increase in prices of new units today. I paid around 10k for a xl16i Trane unit all new inside and out installed. It’s 12 years old now and well maintained. I change filters and keep the outside coils clean.
The new high efficiency units are now 20k.
My last check up ( and I’ve only had 3 ) was told my run capacitor was a little weak and the price to replace was $399.
That’s crazy for a $25 part but if that’s all I need for my unit to hopefully last longer it’s not bad. BTW he said it’s within range but low and should not cause a problem now. My unit is working ok and never had a problem.
I can’t see the logic of spending 50% of a new unit since that would be 10k 😂. But I guess the 50% rule should not include heat pumps due to the high costs.
Butch, that crap about weak capacitor. They said the same to me and wanted $ 150.00 for parts and labor. I went online and purchased the capacitor for about $ 35.00 and then watched you tube videos on how to replace. It was a snap and unit works fine now !
You must of been in my house yesterday , same words, mine needs that stuff that makes it cold , he scared me to death, worried about having to get a new right now . THANK YOU.
That was an excellent and comprehensive analysis. Thank you
I replace when it develops an issue that cannot be fixed. Regular servicing is key. Have 2 units in house. Original builder grade unit still going fine 17 years on. Other unit replaced in 2015 (10 years old) because it was leaking refrigerant and undersized by builder.
Great stuff again Jay, many thanks for your high quality videos. We are looking into the possibility of replacing our natural gas furnace and central A/C units from 1999 with new high efficiency units. Any brand recommendations from you? Our area HVAC installers in the Western Ex-burbs of Mpls in MN are offering both Goodman and Amana units so far. We may stick with our old stuff for a while longer after watching this video and after using some of your handy video fixes like "whack the switch" which worked well for us!
I love your videos. So helpful and informative and also love the little tidbits at the end! Thank you!