Have you ever gone to a festival or Cedar Point and walked past the person who claims to be able to guess your age? Frankly…they are actually guessing.
How many times have you played the “Guess My Age” game when looking to purchase a home? You stand in front of the furnace and air conditioning systems and say to yourself, “They look good,” or “They look relatively new.” But how old are they? This is an important question to be answered.
The average furnace and air conditioning system, if properly maintained, should last at least 15 years. After that time, you should start planning for replacement and that should be a consideration in your offer price on a property.
But how do you know the actual age of the furnace and air conditioner? The answer is in the serial numbers on the units. If you have a relationship with a reputable heating & cooling company, you can call them and provide the brand name (Bryant, Lennox, Trane, etc.) and the serial number and they will be able to tell you the year that piece of equipment was manufactured.
This extra piece of information will allow you to make a more informed decision about the property you are considering to purchase…without “guessing.”