Everyone in Titus, AL, wants to have a comfortable home. But when it comes to your home’s equity, do HVAC upgrades really help? There are certainly some things needed to keep your system running strongly. Consider these seven HVAC upgrades that will give your home’s value a boost:
Old System Replacements
Air conditioners and heat pumps have expected service lives of about 10 to 15 years. Furnaces tend to have a life of about 15 to 20 years. When it comes to selling your home, having a system older than 10 years starts degrading your home’s resale value.
A new HVAC system will yield about an 85% return. In other words, if you spend $10,000 replacing an old system, it’ll add about $8,500 to your home’s value. Additionally, realtors anecdotally find that systems over 15 years old are a turn-off to potential home buyers.
High-Efficiency Systems
Aside from reducing your overall heating and cooling bills, high-efficiency systems can give you a substantial equity boost. Homes with high-efficiency systems get an average of a 9% boost in offer value. Not only that, but higher efficiency systems are more attractive to potential buyers, leading to a faster sale.
Insulation Upgrade
You may not consider insulation to be something that will add to your home’s equity. After all, it’s not something many buyers look at until the inspection. However, upgrading your insulation can net a return of anywhere from 96% to 116%. You get the biggest return within 12 months of the insulation’s installation.
Routine Maintenance
HVAC maintenance may not add directly to your home’s equity, but it does protect it. A neglected system will have a shortened life span and increased repairs. When it comes to selling your home, neglected maintenance may cost offers or reduce its value.
Neglected maintenance is oftentimes easy to spot when the buyer pays attention. They can easily look at the system and see corrosion from the outside. Removing the access panel to the air handler will reveal a dirty circulating fan wheel.
Central Air Upgrades
Central air and heating is a standard in modern homes and is an expectation of potential buyers. If you live in an older home, you may want to upgrade your HVAC system to a central air system.
This will help make your home more comfortable through both the winter and the summer. It also adds substantially to your home’s equity with an average boost of about 10% to your home’s value. For a $250,000 home, that means for an investment of $6,000-$15,000, yields a $25,000 boost to your home’s value.
Smart Home Upgrades
Homebuyers are continually looking for technology updates to the home. Something as simple as a smart thermostat sends the message you’ve kept your home updated and well-maintained.
Homes with smart features, like a thermostat, will yield 3% to 5% higher offers. For an investment of under $500, that’s a boost of $7,500 on a $250,000 home.
Air Quality Additions
Indoor air quality affects everyone’s health in your home, and it’s something more people are noticing. Air quality solutions can be as simple as a dehumidifier, but may also include an air scrubber or an ultraviolet light purifier.
A whole-home dehumidifier may run upward of $2,000 after installation, depending on the model. However, due to the humidity throughout the year in Titus, it can be a great selling point. Small upgrades like this make your home more desirable, leading to faster and higher quality offers.
Get the most from your HVAC system while improving your air quality and boosting your home equity. Call to schedule a consultation with one of the indoor air quality specialists at Air Conditioning by Luquire today.
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