Is it Worth Installing a New HVAC System to Boost Your Home Value?

Bay Area homeowners who are planning to sell or rent out their property in the near future, have to think carefully about home value and what they can offer buyers (just like anywhere else). Certain renovations or upgradations can instantly boost the value of your home. But it is important to know whether investing in these would really be worth the cost. One of the common installation or upgrade that homeowners go for, or can choose, is a new HVAC system. HVAC systems are indispensable for comfortable living and a good system ensures clean air as well.

So, is a new HVAC indeed a value addition to your house?

1. It can grab buyer interest

Potential buyers are definitely interested in houses that are well-maintained. Whether you should install a new HVAC system or not, depends on necessity. Does your home really need a new HVAC? Is the existing one outdated or working well? Have you been spending on repairs frequently? By answering these questions, you will be able to make a choice. If your system is old and faces frequent malfunctions, a new system can certainly add a lot to your home value. You can recoup almost 50% of the initial investment cost in your sales price.

2. It is necessary in certain geographical areas

Investing in a new system is only worth it, if your house is located in an area which really needs adequate heating or cooling. Otherwise, you will be undertaking unnecessary expenditure that is not going to add much value to your house. If your property is located in a region that does not have harsh summers or winters, residents will probably not use heating and cooling much. The system will remain idle and may face issues when run. But, if your ductwork is too old and needs a major overhaul, you might spend more than you can recoup by selling the house.

3. It can improve energy efficiency

Installing a new HVAC system that is energy efficient, adds greatly to house value because residents will receive lower energy bills and save a lot on heating and cooling. Newer systems also take up less space, hence, more area is available for homeowners to use. Adding a heat pump will boost house value too.

How to choose between replacing the whole system or just a few parts?

One solution cannot fit every house. Whether your house requires an entirely new system or just replacing some parts can ensure efficient heating and cooling, depends on many factors.

The first one being age of your unit. If the system is more than 15 or 20 years old, potential buyers may not be very interested, as old systems could cost them frequent malfunctions or repairs.

If the house is located in an area of mild climate where the heating and cooling is used quite infrequently, just replacing a few parts may be enough.If repair costs or the expenditure on new parts is too high, then it is probably worth replacing the entire system itself.