Repair or replace? How to decide when your furnace or AC breaks down
It usually happens at a bad time. The furnace quits in January or the AC dies in the first heat wave, and now you're staring at a repair quote and wondering if you're about to pour money into something that's on its way out. Here's how we'd think about it.
Start with the age
Every system has a rough lifespan. With decent maintenance:
| Gas furnace | 15–20 years |
|---|---|
| Central air conditioner | 12–15 years |
| Heat pump | 12–15 years |
| Ductless mini split | 15 years or more |
If yours is well inside that range, a repair is almost always the right call. If it's near the end or past it, keep reading.
Then look at the repair cost
Here's a rule of thumb a lot of techs use: multiply the repair price by the age of the system. If the answer is over about $5,000, replacing usually makes more sense than repairing.
So a $400 igniter on an 8-year-old furnace ($3,200) is an easy yes on the repair. A $1,500 blower motor on an 18-year-old furnace ($27,000) is a different story. You might get a few more years out of it, but the next big part probably isn't far behind.
Old refrigerant can tip it
If your AC or heat pump went in before about 2010, it probably runs on R-22. R-22 hasn't been made in the U.S. since 2020, so what's left is expensive. A refrigerant leak on an R-22 system is often what settles the question.
Things a repair quote doesn't show
- Your bills. A 20-year-old furnace or AC uses noticeably more energy than a new one, and that shows up on the PSE or PUD bill every month.
- Comfort. If some rooms are always cold, or the system can't keep up on the hottest and coldest days, a repair won't change that. A properly sized new system can.
- How often you've been calling. Two or three repairs in two or three years is a pattern.
When repair is clearly right
If the system is under about 10 years old, the part is a small one (an igniter, a sensor, a capacitor), and this is the first real problem it's had, fix it. Don't let anybody talk you into a new system in that situation.
What replacing costs
Rough 2026 numbers for the Everett area: a gas furnace runs $5,500–$10,000 installed, central AC $6,000–$11,000, a ducted heat pump $11,000–$20,000, and a one-room ductless mini split $4,500–$8,500. There's more detail on our new systems page.
Snohomish County PUD has offered rebates on qualifying heat pumps, which can make a heat pump a closer call than you'd expect. Programs change, so ask what's available when you get a quote.
What we do
When it's a close call, we give you two prices, the repair and the replacement, and let you decide. And if you'd like a second opinion on a quote from someone else, send it over. We're happy to take a look.