ATLANTA — Things never seem to get cheaper and if you’re looking to replace an HVAC system in the coming year, your wallet is going to feel it.
New regulations set to help ease global warming are what’s behind the price hike in 2025.
“We’re looking at about 30%, 40%, 50% more than we were paying six months ago,” said Chris Rich, a district service coordinator with Dealer Supply who has spent the past year training technicians on the new machines.
This is why one northwest Atlanta homeowner hustled to get equipment manufactured in 2024 for the installation of a new upstairs HVAC unit.
Federal regulations now require equipment manufactured in 2025 and beyond to use a more efficient and environmentally friendly refrigerant -- and it comes at a cost.
The same thing happened in the industry in the 90’s – older refrigerant was phased out because of concerns around ozone depletion.
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Now the Environmental Protection Agency believes it’s more harmful for global warming and it’s what’s behind this latest change -- manufacturing new equipment that uses refrigerants with lower global warming potential.
So, what should you do? Channel 2 Wendy Corona asked Rich that very question.
“When they start hitting the 10- to 12-year mark, you start having a lot of little repairs. You’ve gotta be very careful on how much money you spend on the repairs because if you start getting into expensive repairs at that point, you may want to consider putting that money into a new system,” Rich said.
Most systems have a lifespan of around 15 years. If yours is still working, don’t worry about it but know that when you do go to replace it, going forward, it’s going to be with a system under new regulations set by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Don’t want the expense? Then make maintenance a priority.
“The majority of the repairs and breakdowns that I see are due to a lack of maintenance,” Rich said.
2024 units can be sold for the next year until they sell out. Up front, they are more cost-effective, plus parts and refrigerant for those will remain readily available.
While the newer systems cost significantly more, their efficiency may result in savings over the long run.
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