furnace / ac replacement ?

[oscarMadison]

ok, my ac is probably close to 30 years old.  It has worked but has had a fix here or there.  Developed a slow leak.  I would like to replace it this year, thinking maybe around April if that makes sense.  I'm thinking move it so it is closer to the furnace, shorter line.  I'm not sure how old the furnace is but I've been here 9 years and I know it wasn't new when I moved in.  Works ok, but have had to replace some type of board when I moved in.

I typically hate replacing something unless I have to.  However I wasn't sure if it would make sense to replace them at the same time.  Any comments / suggestions from the hvac braintrust or the peanut gallery.  If replace anything to look for or avoid?

I check my filters monthly and replace as needed.  Run heat at about 63-65 in the winter, ac 74-78 in the summer.  Bills are reasonably low.

[blackhat]

What furnace?  Model and serial if you can.

[oscarMadison]

Trane XR80
MN - TUD080C948K0 I assume those were zeros
SN - Z3135TJ2G

[CLETUS]

ok, my ac is probably close to 30 years old.  It has worked but has had a fix here or there.  Developed a slow leak.  I would like to replace it this year, thinking maybe around April if that makes sense.  I'm thinking move it so it is closer to the furnace, shorter line.  I'm not sure how old the furnace is but I've been here 9 years and I know it wasn't new when I moved in.  Works ok, but have had to replace some type of board when I moved in.

I typically hate replacing something unless I have to.  However I wasn't sure if it would make sense to replace them at the same time.  Any comments / suggestions from the hvac braintrust or the peanut gallery.  If replace anything to look for or avoid?

I check my filters monthly and replace as needed.  Run heat at about 63-65 in the winter, ac 74-78 in the summer.  Bills are reasonably low.

I don't know if this is typical or I just got lucky...

We replaced our furnace in October / November one year, we decided not to spend the extra to do AC at that time. We got a phone call from the installer in December saying he was putting in his stock order for the spring. If we wanted to pay in advance and wait for spring for the install he could save us $400.

[blackhat]

That's a builders model basic mid efficient built in Aug of 2001. It's probably nearing the end of its life expectancy and you may start seeing more failures on motors etc. I would be asking for quotes on one or both and see what kind of deals show up.

[oscarMadison]

thanks. I''ll do that. I was thinking it was probably older. The guy I bought the house from didn't have money to do repairs and the previous owner was a little old lady who was only doing what she had to. So I had a hunch it might be older.

[oscarMadison]

just wanted to add a thanks to Cletus. Had a brain fart and was planning on waiting until it got closer, but probably better to look now.

Also another thanks to Blackhat not just for the help on this question, but for help in the past too. It's great to have a forum like this and members like you who don't mind sharing their expertise. You and others have provided a lot of help to members over the years.

[fredhargis]

Be sure to check with your electric provider, they may offer some (small) incentives to replace. Also most of the furnace manufacturers offer rebates once/twice a year, seems to me (might be wrong on this) that they show up late spring and then again early fall. We replaced ours last year and got rebates from both.

[Snipe Hunter]

Do me a favor, from a home inspector's point of view.

When they replace the condenser, the new one will probably be much more efficient and require a lower amp breaker at the main panel. make sure they swap out the breaker with a properly sized breaker.

You'd be surprised how many HVAC techs just wire in the new condenser and leave the old breaker in place. The nameplate on the condenser will have a "Max Fuse Breaker Rating" printed right on it. I see a lot of 25 amp max breaker rated condensers with 40 amp breakers in the panel.

BTW, 30 years is a good run. That's like owning a 18 year old dog. I don't see many that old, some but not many.

[oscarMadison]

thanks, it makes sense but I hadn't even thought about the fact that new equipment would need a new breaker.  

Yeah, it's run good, I keep it clean, when I first moved in I straightened out the bent fins, it's shaded.  One company came in to fix some wiring that the previous owner had messed up, said it looked like the guy had taken a weed whacker to it.  They said you'll need a new one next year.  Next year came around, called somebody a  co-worker uses, checked it out said yeah it's old but it's quiet, running smooth and he wouldn't replace it.  That was nine years ago.  The guy replaced a dual switch(?) for me, and that has been it.  Gave me a fair price on it.  Called me over and walked me through all the testing he was doing.  Been a good guy.