Repair or Replace Your Furnace or AC? How to Decide Without Getting Pushed

When a furnace or air conditioner stops working, the first fear is the big bill. The second is being sold a new system you did not need. Both are fair, and the answer to both is information. Here is how to tell a repair from a replacement.

The repairs we see most

We repair units from any manufacturer, from heat pumps to air conditioners. These are the common culprits, and most of them are fixable:

• Dirty burners. Buildup keeps a furnace from lighting or burning cleanly. Cleaning usually solves it.
• Frayed blower belts. The sign is a high-pitched squealing sound when the fan runs. A belt is a small part.
• Worn out ball bearings. They announce themselves with screeching, grinding or rattling.
• Faulty thermostats. A thermostat that does not respond may be the whole problem, which is a lot better than the alternative.
• Ignitors and short cycling. An ignitor that will not light, or is cracked, keeps a furnace cold. Short cycling, where a furnace or air conditioner turns on and off too often, can come from several causes and is worth a look.

Then there is the one nobody wants: a cracked heat exchanger. It usually smells like formaldehyde, and it is a safety matter, because a crack can let combustion gases into the air your family breathes. If a technician finds one, a furnace usually is not worth saving. Keep working carbon monoxide detectors in your house regardless.

Signs that replacement makes sense

Replacement becomes the sensible choice when several of these stack up:

• The equipment is well into its second decade and the repairs keep coming.
• A major component has failed, such as a compressor or a heat exchanger.
• Some rooms never get comfortable no matter what has been adjusted.
• Bills are rising while the weather has not changed.
• You are spending real money on repairs every season and getting nowhere.

One bad part on an otherwise healthy system is a repair. A string of failures on an old system is a different conversation. Look at the pattern across the whole system.

Before you approve any replacement, ask what failed and whether it can be fixed. Ask what size the building actually needs rather than what the old unit happened to be. And ask whether a different type of equipment makes sense. A heat pump both heats and cools, so for some homes one machine can take the place of a furnace and an air conditioner. For others, a gas furnace is still the better fit. The answer depends on the house, not on a sales target.

Our service call policy

Here is how we handle it. We come out, we diagnose the unit, and if we find it needs to be replaced, your service call is on us. We do not charge you for the visit that tells you the equipment has reached the end of the road. That keeps our advice honest, because you are not paying us extra to say yes to a new system.

A customer named krissy slick put it this way on our testimonials page: “I was in a bind, my A/C went out just before a long, hot weekend.” She went on to say: “Cydni & Company went out of their way to get it going for me, when all other companies just wanted to sell me a whole new system.” Getting a unit running when it can be fixed is the job.

If it is time to replace

When replacement is the answer, the next question is how to pay for it. We offer financing through Wells Fargo, which offers a Home Projects credit card, and through Synchrony. No Down Payment Required, and all financing is subject to credit approval. Terms and rates change, so we do not print them here. Ask us and we will walk you through the current options.

Utility rebates can help too. We partner with Pacific Power and Benton REA, and their programs can apply when you upgrade equipment. The details and amounts change from year to year, so check with your utility or ask us before you buy. It is worth sorting out before the install, not after.

We also offer a 10% discount to Seniors, Military, First Responders, and Emergency Medical Personnel. Contact us for details.

What to do next

If your furnace or AC is acting up, do not wait for it to die on the coldest night or the hottest afternoon. Call (509) 424-3245 and Cydni will set a time. We serve Yakima and the surrounding valley, and you will get a straight answer on whether it is a repair or a replacement.