You're spot on about airflow and ductwork often being the real culprits. I've seen plenty of older HVAC units still chugging along nicely after 20+ years—sometimes they're built like tanks. But I'd say don't completely dismiss your contractor's caution either. Older systems can become less efficient over time, even if they're still running fine. Maybe start with duct balancing and insulation upgrades first, see how it feels...then revisit the HVAC question later if needed. Could save you from fixing what's not broken (yet).
I've had a few properties with HVAC units pushing past the 20-year mark, and honestly, efficiency loss is real but not always a deal-breaker. Had one tenant complain about uneven cooling—turned out the ducts were leaking like crazy. Patched those up, added some attic insulation, and it felt like a new system without dropping thousands on replacement. I'd say tackle airflow first; if your bills aren't skyrocketing yet, you're probably good for a bit longer...
Gotta hand it to you, patching ducts and adding insulation can definitely buy you some extra time. But honestly, sometimes older HVAC units are like my uncle's old pickup truck—sure, you can keep patching it up and it'll run, but at some point you're spending more weekends under the hood than actually driving the thing.
Had a similar situation myself: 22-year-old system, bills weren't terrible yet, but every summer I was crossing fingers and toes hoping it wouldn't finally kick the bucket during a heatwave. Eventually bit the bullet and replaced it—yeah, wallet hurt for a bit, but man, the peace of mind was priceless. Plus, efficiency improvements these days aren't just marketing fluff; my monthly bills dropped noticeably. Not saying everyone needs to rush out and replace their units tomorrow, but sometimes waiting too long ends up costing more in stress (and emergency service calls) than it's worth...
I'm right there with you. My HVAC was pushing 19 years and I kept telling myself, "one more year," until last July when it finally died on me during a heatwave. Not fun. Ended up paying premium rates for emergency replacement, plus sweating buckets for two days waiting for the install. Lesson learned: sometimes biting the bullet early saves you from bigger headaches later.
Just replaced mine last spring—my old HVAC was around 22 years, and I kept pushing it too. Thought I'd dodged a bullet, but turns out the ductwork in my historic home was a whole other can of worms. Had to get creative with the installers, but now it's finally comfortable year-round. Curious if anyone else here has run into unexpected issues with older homes and modern HVAC units?
