What Age is Old?

HOME COMPONENTS TYPICALLY GO KAPUT BY THE AGES BELOW, THOUGH WELL-CARED-FOR PREMIUM BRANDS MAY LAST A BIT LONGER.

Furnace & Boiler –  Average Life Expectancy 15-20 Years, Replacement Cost $2,000-$8,000

 

• AGING EQUIPMENT… An old heating or cooling system is costly to operate – and the risk of a breakdown increases with age. But as long as your old furnace, boiler, or AC is operat­ing safely, there’s no rush to upgrade.
• Danger signs The system cycles on and off frequently to hold your thermostat setting; you spot corrosion on the vent pipe; the natural-gas flames are yellow or orange instead of pure blue.
• How to check – Get a repair estimate: if it’s more than a third of the replacement cost, spring for a new machine, says Indiana­polis plumber Larry Rowald.
• Replacement cost – Tipically $2,000 to $4,000 for a furnace (forced air); $4,000 to $8,000 for a boiler (hot water); $1,000 to $8,000 for a water heater;
  $6,000 to $10,000 for an air conditioner.
• Prolong its life -Have your systems cleaned and tuned annually, including flushing the water heater to remove sludge, replacing all filters, and lubricat­ing any pumps.