It’s tough to live without cooling in Yuma, which is why financial planners recommend putting money aside in the monthly budget for its repair or replacement, along with other home essentials like its roof and water heater.
It makes sense to allocate some of your monthly income for emergency home repairs. The air conditioner is undoubtedly your most expensive appliance, and being without it for any length of time is a hardship, not only for comfort, but also health.
Roofs and water heaters don’t last forever and a roof repair shouldn’t be put off. Rainwater can cause serious damage to the attic, the ceilings and the exterior walls. Recent increased energy efficiency requirements for water heaters have driven up their purchase and installation costs.
How Much They Cost
How much an A/C replacement might cost depends on the energy efficiency of the system you choose, its size and whether the ducts need replacing as well. You can expect to pay upwards of $5,000 for the system itself, not including installation.
A new roof will cost upwards of $8,000 for the average home and water heaters could run $1,000 and more including installation.
How Much to Save
Experts recommend that you estimate the age of the appliance and its current age to calculate how much of the monthly budget to allocate for major repairs or replacements.
An HVAC system will last up to 18 years with routine maintenance and air filter changes. The lifetime of a shingle roof in the Yuma area is around 20 years, and a water heater about 10 years.
Estimate the remaining months you expect the HVAC system, water heater and roof to last based on their current ages. Divide the number of months into their replacement costs to see how much you’d have to save to cover the costs of their replacements.
The best way to get the most from your home appliances and lower the amount to put aside in the monthly budget is to keep them well maintained. To schedule regular maintenance, contact Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company, providing HVAC services for Yuma-area homeowners.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Yuma, Arizona about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 928-723-3183.
