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Repair or replace?

Got a repair quote and a sinking feeling? Plug in a few numbers and see what the two rules of thumb the trade uses, plus typical Utah lifespans, say about your furnace, AC, heat pump or water heater.

What needs the repair?

Age in years

Not sure? The install date is often on the unit's data plate or a sticker inside the panel.

Repair quote ($)

Rough replacement cost ($)

Typical installed range for a gas furnace: about $4,000–$8,000. This is a rough estimate, not a quote. Get a free replacement estimate for a real number.

Needed other repairs in the last 2 years?

Yes No

Comfort or high-bill complaints?

Yes No

Uneven rooms, short cycling, noisy, bills creeping up.

Uses R-22 refrigerant? (AC and heat pumps only)

Yes No / not sure

Check the data plate on the outdoor unit. Most systems installed before 2010 use R-22 (sometimes listed as HCFC-22).

Your verdict appears here

Fill in the form above. Prefer to do it by hand? The two rules are explained just below.

How it works

The two rules of thumb

The $5,000 rule

Multiply the equipment's age by the repair cost. If the answer is over 5,000, replacement usually deserves a serious look. A 14-year-old furnace with an $850 repair scores 11,900. A 5-year-old AC with the same repair scores 4,250, so fix it and move on.

The 50% rule

If a repair costs half or more of what new equipment would cost, most of that money is better spent on the new unit. We also compare the repair to the value the old unit has left: a $900 repair on a furnace with a year or two of expected life left isn't a great buy even if it's well under half the price of a new one.

Typical lifespans in the Salt Lake Valley

Gas furnace: 15–20 years. Our long heating season puts real hours on them.
Central AC: 12–15 years. Hot, dry summers and cottonwood-clogged coils take a toll.
Heat pump: 10–15 years. It heats and cools, so it runs nearly year-round.
Tank water heater: 8–12 years. Valley hard water builds sediment that wears tanks out early.

These are rules of thumb, not a diagnosis. A newer unit with a failed compressor or a cracked heat exchanger can be a replace. An old furnace that just needs an inexpensive flame sensor is usually a repair. If the calculator lands on the fence, a second opinion is cheap insurance.

Questions

Common questions

What is the $5,000 rule for HVAC repairs?

Multiply the age of the equipment in years by the repair cost. If the result is more than $5,000, replacing usually makes more sense than repairing. Example: a 12-year-old AC with a $500 repair gives 6,000, so replacement is worth a look.

What is the 50% rule?

If a repair costs half or more of what new equipment would cost, and the unit is past the middle of its expected life, most of that money is better spent on a replacement.

How long do furnaces and air conditioners last in Utah?

Typical ranges are 15 to 20 years for a gas furnace, 12 to 15 years for a central AC, 10 to 15 years for a heat pump that runs year-round, and 8 to 12 years for a tank water heater on Salt Lake Valley hard water.

Is it worth repairing an AC that uses R-22 refrigerant?

R-22 has not been made or imported in the U.S. since 2020, so any recharge uses scarce, expensive reclaimed refrigerant. A small non-refrigerant repair can still make sense, but a leak on an R-22 system is usually the signal to replace.

Want a second set of eyes on that quote?

We'll look at the equipment and tell you straight whether a repair makes sense. Estimates on replacements and second opinions are free. Call or text (385) 455-4700.

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