Replacing furnace - thoughts from geniuses here?

[FlickShagwell]

Putting an addition on our house (not bragging). Obviously have a lot of hvac work and I was talking with the hvac guys this AM. We had to pay people to put new Freon in our AC last summer and it was old AF, so we’re replacing it. I’m happy about that decision. Our furnace is 25 years old. We knew it was old and would need replacing when we moved in 4 years ago. There’s been nothing wrong with it, though. Haven’t had any issues whatsoever. So my thoughts on it have been, don’t make any movements until it dies. Ride it til the wheels fall off. The hvac guys are saying, “oh no, it needs to go now while we’re reworking all the ductwork. It’ll be more expensive to put a new one in down the road since we won’t actively be working on the hvac.”

This kind of makes sense - they’re already here doing the work. But it also kind of sounds like a load of horseshit. If I get another year (or another 5 - like I said, haven’t had any issues with the existing furnace) out of the one we’ve got, doesn’t that negate those extra costs?

Im out of my element with HVAC. What say you all?

 

[Hawki97]

Putting an addition on our house (not bragging). Obviously have a lot of hvac work and I was talking with the hvac guys this AM. We had to pay people to put new Freon in our AC last summer and it was old AF, so we’re replacing it. I’m happy about that decision. Our furnace is 25 years old. We knew it was old and would need replacing when we moved in 4 years ago. There’s been nothing wrong with it, though. Haven’t had any issues whatsoever. So my thoughts on it have been, don’t make any movements until it dies. Ride it til the wheels fall off. The hvac guys are saying, “oh no, it needs to go now while we’re reworking all the ductwork. It’ll be more expensive to put a new one in down the road since we won’t actively be working on the hvac.”

This kind of makes sense - they’re already here doing the work. But it also kind of sounds like a load of horseshit. If I get another year (or another 5 - like I said, haven’t had any issues with the existing furnace) out of the one we’ve got, doesn’t that negate those extra costs?

Im out of my element with HVAC. What say you all?

25 years? It's gonna go - it's just a matter of when. Sure, you can gamble. But there's nothing worse than a furnace / AC going when it's 100 degrees or 100 below. And with the way contractors are backed up, you're going to either get lucky to have it replaced quickly, wait a while for replacement, or spend FU money to get "bumped up the schedule." Replace it while they're doing the existing work on your new addition. See what you can do on pricing to save a bit on the whole enchilada. Probably not going to get much off because they probably have more than enough business, but it doesn't hurt to try.

Source: My 2 cents after having numerous conversations with my HVAC contractor BiL over the last 25 years.

 

[FlickShagwell]

25 years? It's gonna go - it's just a matter of when. Sure, you can gamble. But there's nothing worse than a furnace / AC going when it's 100 degrees or 100 below. And with the way contractors are backed up, you're going to either get lucky to have it replaced quickly, wait a while for replacement, or spend FU money to get "bumped up the schedule." Replace it while they're doing the existing work on your new addition. See what you can do on pricing to save a bit on the whole enchilada. Probably not going to get much off because they probably have more than enough business, but it doesn't hurt to try.

Source: My 2 cents after having numerous conversations with my HVAC contractor BiL over the last 25 years.

This makes sense. Thanks for your input. Is this pretty much what the rest of you jagaloons are thinking?

 

[Fijimn]

Putting an addition on our house (not bragging). Obviously have a lot of hvac work and I was talking with the hvac guys this AM. We had to pay people to put new Freon in our AC last summer and it was old AF, so we’re replacing it. I’m happy about that decision. Our furnace is 25 years old. We knew it was old and would need replacing when we moved in 4 years ago. There’s been nothing wrong with it, though. Haven’t had any issues whatsoever. So my thoughts on it have been, don’t make any movements until it dies. Ride it til the wheels fall off. The hvac guys are saying, “oh no, it needs to go now while we’re reworking all the ductwork. It’ll be more expensive to put a new one in down the road since we won’t actively be working on the hvac.”

This kind of makes sense - they’re already here doing the work. But it also kind of sounds like a load of horseshit. If I get another year (or another 5 - like I said, haven’t had any issues with the existing furnace) out of the one we’ve got, doesn’t that negate those extra costs?

Im out of my element with HVAC. What say you all?

They usually throw in a new furnace when getting a new a/c system. Negotiate

 

[HawkeyeGenius]

If it were me, I'd replace it. 25 years is really old, and the perfect time is now while you're updating.

Edit to add that I don't like to spend money either, if that tells you anything on my view.

 

[pablow]

This makes sense. Thanks for your input. Is this pretty much what the rest of you jagaloons are thinking?

Speaking for me - yes. Don't crash your house, your family will remember and hate you.

 

[Slappy Pappy]

Go electric. 60% of electric in Iowa is already Iowa-produced renewable. Natural gas feeds dictators.

 

[Fijimn]

Go electric. 60% of electric in Iowa is already Iowa-produced renewable. Natural gas feeds dictators.

You think they produce electricity from gathering lightning (or lightening for some posters)

 

[JMNSHO]

They usually throw in a new furnace when getting a new a/c system. Negotiate

I was gonna say make sure they comp you every style of logo hat they have or you walk.

 

[red/green hawk]

Putting an addition on our house (not bragging). Obviously have a lot of hvac work and I was talking with the hvac guys this AM. We had to pay people to put new Freon in our AC last summer and it was old AF, so we’re replacing it. I’m happy about that decision. Our furnace is 25 years old. We knew it was old and would need replacing when we moved in 4 years ago. There’s been nothing wrong with it, though. Haven’t had any issues whatsoever. So my thoughts on it have been, don’t make any movements until it dies. Ride it til the wheels fall off. The hvac guys are saying, “oh no, it needs to go now while we’re reworking all the ductwork. It’ll be more expensive to put a new one in down the road since we won’t actively be working on the hvac.”

This kind of makes sense - they’re already here doing the work. But it also kind of sounds like a load of horseshit. If I get another year (or another 5 - like I said, haven’t had any issues with the existing furnace) out of the one we’ve got, doesn’t that negate those extra costs?

Im out of my element with HVAC. What say you all?

Your current unit is rated on your current square footage more than likely. Adding more space will put more strain on the unit. Being 25 years old your current unit's efficiency is probably horrible. I'm guessing for every dollar you spend on running it $.40 is wasted. It will get worse when you add-on. Last year I spent $20+k on a new high efficiency furnace a/c unit. It's 99% efficient and loses about 0.5% efficiency a year. IMO bite the bullet and get a new unit.

 

[SoonerBeAHawk]

Just curious, how will the existing furnace handle the increased load from the addition?

 

[Mayland]

Go electric. 60% of electric in Iowa is already Iowa-produced renewable. Natural gas feeds dictators.

Get a dual electric/natural gas. I can heat my home with natural gas, electric via forced air heat pump, and electric element. Down to about 25-30 F forced air heat pump is the most efficient. Then I switch over to natural gas. My natural gas comes from about 100 miles away and I don’t think there’s any dictators that live there.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

Go the nuclear route OP

 

[FlickShagwell]

Just curious, how will the existing furnace handle the increased load from the addition?

That's a great point and one I hadn't considered. I told you guys I'm out of my element with HVAC stuff.

 

[Sooner-Be-Dead]

We replaced the ac 2 years ago. The next winter the furnace crapped out. Could’ve saved a grand or two doing them at the same time.

 

[FormerlyCyberCy]

Are you going to need more cooling tonnage w the addition? That alone may make it worthwhile.

We replaced our AC and furnace at 25 years just because it was time. We went w a dual compressor heat pump and set the threshold for using gas at 40 degrees to avoid the defrost cycle. It‘s a Trane and never have had any issues W old or new. Thought hard about getting a geothermal unit, but they weren’t that common ten years ago. If I had it to do over, I probably would.

 

[waterboy4582]

That's a great point and one I hadn't considered. I told you guys I'm out of my element with HVAC stuff.

How efficient is the current furnace and will you be zoning the ductwork to the new addition?

 

[Slappy Pappy]

You think they produce electricity from gathering lightning (or lightening for some posters)

Easier to just use the windmills and solar farms already here that account for nearly 60% of energy use in Iowa, with even more coming online.

Get a dual electric/natural gas. I can heat my home with natural gas, electric via forced air heat pump, and electric element. Down to about 25-30 F forced air heat pump is the most efficient. Then I switch over to natural gas. My natural gas comes from about 100 miles away and I don’t think there’s any dictators that live there.

No natural gas fields in Iowa, but the point is, natural gas is on the world market. Just look at the spike in your bill due to this Russia deal. Any product you use increases the world-wide demand for ng, which increases the price Russia and Iran and Assad and the Saudis and Venezuela get for it.

Domestic electricity production (solar and wind) insulated from world markets is going to skyrocket over the next decades. Be smart to prepare for that now by installing electric appliances.

 

[FlickShagwell]

How efficient is the current furnace and will you be zoning the ductwork to the new addition?

I don’t know the answer to the first question and if I take your meaning about ductwork, yeah, we’re adding a new room to the basement and main floor and the ductwork is being added onto the the existing ductwork.

You guys have pretty much convinced me to upgrade the furnace along with the AC.

 

[StormHawk42]

Most will give you one free if you’re getting them done at the same time. Sucks ass but get it done.

 

[ichawkeye]

If you're doing an addition, you are placing more load on the system, and I assume that means you plan to stay in the house for a while. If that's the case, and you can afford it, I would replace with a high efficiency system that offers a payback over time. You might have rebate opportunities with your elec/gas supplier too.

If you don't have it, I'd also consider humidifier/dehumidifier additions. They improve the comfort level, requiring less heat/cooling from your system, and keep your woodwork (flooring, cabinets) more stable throughout the year.

 

[waterboy4582]

I don’t know the answer to the first question and if I take your meaning about ductwork, yeah, we’re adding a new room to the basement and main floor and the ductwork is being added onto the the existing ductwork.

You guys have pretty much convinced me to upgrade the furnace along with the AC.

You should be able to get a better price for changing out all now. Usually you will be given options in the estimate to replace all or parts with pricing for different efficiencies.

 

[Hawki97]

I don’t know the answer to the first question and if I take your meaning about ductwork, yeah, we’re adding a new room to the basement and main floor and the ductwork is being added onto the the existing ductwork.

You guys have pretty much convinced me to upgrade the furnace along with the AC.

You’ll be happier in the long run with this choice. Sorry to spend your money.

 

[srams21]

That's a great point and one I hadn't considered. I told you guys I'm out of my element with HVAC stuff.

Just curious because we are considering an addition. How much extra square footage are you putting on and do you mind sharing the total costs?

 

[Hawki97]

If you're doing an addition, you are placing more load on the system, and I assume that means you plan to stay in the house for a while. If that's the case, and you can afford it, I would replace with a high efficiency system that offers a payback over time. You might have rebate opportunities with your elec/gas supplier too.

If you don't have it, I'd also consider humidifier/dehumidifier additions. They improve the comfort level, requiring less heat/cooling from your system, and keep your woodwork (flooring, cabinets) more stable throughout the year.

I replaced mine about 8 years ago. I’ve got hardwoods and builtin cabinets all over the place in a 100+ year old home. I wish I had done this.

 

[hawkeyez]

Check on the tax credits/energy rebates. I just replaced both last fall, and I'm pretty sure there were additional rebates for doing both at the same time.

 

[theiacowtipper]

One of our best purchases is a $100 annual maintenance plan for HVAC. We get two system inspections and priority service calls at the regular non-overtime rate.

 

[Chewback]

Most will give you one free if you’re getting them done at the same time. Sucks ass but get it done.

Gotta say, I find that VERY difficult to believe. Where do you live that they do that?

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

You think they produce electricity from gathering lightning (or lightening for some posters)

Doesn't everyone do it that way?

I have an underground capacitor the size of an Olympic swimming pool with a couple of giant lightning rods.

A couple of strikes a year is all I need to run everything.

 

[NCHawk5]

Go electric. 60% of electric in Iowa is already Iowa-produced renewable. Natural gas feeds dictators.

Yeah F that noise. I guess if you want $500/month electricity bills

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

If you believe in global warming then you have to put your money where your mouth is and pony up for the geothermal for about 25K...unless you're a hypocrite...

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Last year I spent $20+k on a new high efficiency furnace a/c unit.

Yikes!

Is that typical or is that something special.

Notwithstanding high efficiency, at that kind of price, I'll die before I break even.

 

[Slappy Pappy]

Yeah F that noise. I guess if you want $500/month electricity bills

What are you talking about? MidAmerica, Iowa's largest energy provider, already sources most of its energy from wind and solar, at like 13 cents per kwh. Super cheap.

In 2020, we delivered 83.6% of our Iowa customers’ annual energy needs with renewable sources, mostly wind. This is a significant step toward achieving our 100% renewable energy vision and supports our goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Gas price is volatile, and dependent on world demand. Price an electric furnace. They cost about a third of tge price of a gas furnace. Twenty years from now gas will only get more expensive, while wind & solar electric costs will only go down.

 

[RileyHawk]

Just had one of our AC units replaced and I asked if it was time to replace the furnace as well. They said no, that furnaces last a lot longer.

 

[red/green hawk]

Yikes!

Is that typical or is that something special.

Notwithstanding high efficiency, at that kind of price, I'll die before I break even.

Yeah I know but I needed to make a decision. My swamp cooler just took a dump and my furnace was 20+ years old. So I took some equity out of my home and decided to go big. Spending more at the point of purchase for a high efficiency unit is a cost game that eventually over the course of 7-8 years pays for itself. I had solar installed at the same time which is also pays for itself after about 12 years. I also had a air purifier installed which was another $1200 because my wife's and son's allergies are horrible during the spring. But a low end unit with 80% efficiency and a low seer condenser will probably run you $10k or so. There are other units out there for $6-8k. But the old adage is true. You really do get what you pay for.

 

[JWolf74]

Thanks for this thread. Reminded me to change the furnace filter. Our geothermal unit needs replaced, but after freon charge last year, it seems to be going fine. But I know I'm gonna be shelling out $15K for that soon.

 

[billanole]

Good thread. We have some years left n a 15 year old system, but have begun talking about what to go with next time. We will not go back with a propane furnace, tho we really like our Trane. Quite possibly geothermal.
What are the pros/cons @JWolf74 ?

 

[JWolf74]

Good thread. We have some years left n a 15 year old system, but have begun talking about what to go with next time. We will not go back with a propane furnace, tho we really like our Trane. Quite possibly geothermal.
What are the pros/cons @JWolf74 ?

Honestly, I'm not the one to ask. This is our first home and it was already installed. I don't have any point of reference. Electric/gas bill is 200-400/mo depending on time of year for a 2700ft2 1.5 story with another 1300sqft finished basement. We do need new doors and windows so I think we could get more efficient.

 

[StormHawk42]

Gotta say, I find that VERY difficult to believe. Where do you live that they do that?

I guess I was talking about furnace and AC. Granted they upcharge the shit out of it. But Des Moines to answer your question.

 

[NCHawk5]

Go electric. 60% of electric in Iowa is already Iowa-produced renewable. Natural gas feeds dictators.

Yeah F that noise. I guess if you want $500/month electricity

What are you talking about? MidAmerica, Iowa's largest energy provider, already sources most of its energy from wind and solar, at like 13 cents per kwh. Super cheap.

In 2020, we delivered 83.6% of our Iowa customers’ annual energy needs with renewable sources, mostly wind. This is a significant step toward achieving our 100% renewable energy vision and supports our goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Gas price is volatile, and dependent on world demand. Price an electric furnace. They cost about a third of tge price of a gas furnace. Twenty years from now gas will only get more expensive, while wind & solar electric costs will only go down.

I know someone in Iowa who pays an arm and a leg for electricity because of an electric water heater/heat. Maybe they have an old/inefficient system, and I don’t believe it’s mid American