Originally posted by @Jennifer T.:
Originally posted by @Jim Adrian:
@Jennifer T.
If this was your house, what you do? I bet replace it. Why is it even a debate. Bite the bullet and replace the unit. Window units are energy hogs and costing your tenant money that could force them to be late on rent. Even if you spend $8k on a unit and it last for 20 years you only spent $400 a year on the unit or $33 a month. This is why you budget and create a reserve funds.
Actually, my own house does have window units. Though a different situation. My house was built 100 years ago and has never had central, so no ductwork either. The last place I lived before buying my house (I was a tenant) also had window units.
Although, overall, central is more energy efficient than window units. It seems like a lot of that efficiency is lost because the whole house is cooled/heated (without buying one of those more expensive zoned system ones). Whereas, with a window unit when everyone is awake, only 1-2 of them might be running at a time. I know in my house, we almost always only have one running.
To be fair, it's possible I'm being colored by my own very poor experiences with HVAC. I only have four properties. Two of them have not had an HVAC since I've owned them (including my house). One of my duplexes I put in a new unit about 1-2 years ago and haven't had a problem. The other unit was 2 years old when I bought the house. I spent $800 the first summer on repairs.
This house has an HVAC unit that is less than 10 years old. And is already kaput. Which was after I put about $700 in repairs over the first 18 months I owned the house.
So, that's been my experience, albeit a green one. That HVACs don't live anywhere near 20 years and are expensive to maintain, on top of that. Maybe I just had bad luck. I do keep a healthy reserve fund and have the money to replace it, it's more that they haven't made monetary sense to me. Resale value is the one piece I'll look into that might be worth it.
Jennifer,
We are right there with you. And it seems like the HVACs that are "energy efficient" last 10 maybe 15 years and they do a cruddy job. My personal experience is that the window units are more efficient - maybe its something with the deep south 94-99% humidity and subtropic temps?
Our first home we owned had window units. Boy I miss that!
I am not a licensed realtor, I am just speaking from experience - Resale is a consideration, however it can be a negotiating factor to help a deal - you could have it installed in lieu of offering closing costs? And thereby avoiding having to maintain the unit?
Some AC companies offer 0% financing on the HVAC "full replacement"- that is a consideration?
Hope you have it all squared away - thought I would throw in my 2 cents :)
