The condition of your heating and ventilation system in the home determines the level of comfort you will experience living there. When you install the HVAC system correctly and well serviced, it keeps the air fresh and warm in the winter and cold during the summer. On the other hand, when the efficiency of the unit begins to drop, you will start experiencing problems such as cold spots inside the house, stuffiness and excess humidity in the summer and excessive energy consumption. As a homeowner, the best call you should know how to make is deciding whether to repair the unit you have or to invest in a new one. Here are three signs that it is time to replace your HVAC.

The Age of the Unit

Like all other machines, the age of your HVAC system will lose its efficiency with age. As the parts keep working year in and year out, they wear and tear. As a result, they become less capable of regulating the internal condition of the home within the timeframes that they used to. Your unit's SEER rating is the best tool to inform you whether the parts are beyond repair or not. If a competent HVAC technician tests the unit and discovers that the rating has fallen below 8, it is time to replace the unit. Typically, HVAC contractors recommend the replacement of units that are older than ten years. 

Recurring Repairs and Services

Another sign that your HVAC may have run its full course of utility is the number of repairs and replacements you have to do to its parts. You should service a good HVAC two to three times a year. You can choose to do general maintenance, such as changing filters more often, especially if you live in dusty places. However, if you have to keep buying coolant, new thermostats and other parts, maybe it is time to get a new unit altogether.

Unusual Noises in the Home

When the HVAC is in the right working condition, it either hums quietly or produces no noise at all. However, when the system starts falling apart, it produces grinding, squealing, banging, and screeching sounds. If any of these sounds have become part of your domestic life, call an HVAC replacement expert.

These are three of the most important indicators that your HVAC needs replacement. Note that it is advisable to have an expert HVAC contractor to run an assessment before buying a new unit.