... is it just something that most people expect to be in a home?
My old place ain't worth much, and I don't know how much longer I'm going to stay here, but I'm dreading another 90 degrees in the house after over 20 years of it.
I figure $10k - $15K to do it.
Would hope it adds resale value to the house.

Well all I know is down here not to many people would consider a home without A/C! Now up in the Snow belt you have to have heat.

It depends on where you live, climate, size of home market values yada, yada.

Some smaller homes get buy with window units,

Not enough info to really say.

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Still Running Against the Wind

I’m sure a new heating A/C system will add value to your home,and it should be a big selling factor.
My house is about 30 yrs. old now and I still have the original HVAC system, it’s still working but past it life expectancy. I keep thinking the AC unit isn’t going to make another season just from the sound of the compressor.
I intend to replace everything very soon and even put in a little better equipment because somewhere on the next several years we plan to sell the house.
We just had the roof replaced two years ago and the water heater isn’t that old.So all this adds up in my book to sell the place but I won’t get much more then the market will bear in the area.

I am sure it will add little value in Raratonga. In Mt no central heat is almost a deal-breaker. Location, location, location.
What is this AC you posted about?

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Front sight and squeeze

A lot of variables: Location, age & construction of house: ex thermal pane windows ,on slab or basement, 1 story or 2 story. service into house & breaker box. ............You said it yourself .... hose ain't worth much.

Buy a window fan or 2 . You will have more $$ for guns & ammo.

BTW I hate AC personally & do not have it & have never used it. Even when I live in FL.

You can bet if the assesors in your county find out your taxes will go up. Jeff

Yes to both questions.

If you can afford it, do it.

I know I would never buy a house that didn't have heat. Central air is far more effective than window units, which are a real nuisance to deal with.

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Common sense isn't so common.

I live in the so called snow belt with hot, humid summers and my wife wouldn’t even look at a house without central AC. In addition to home value, look at ease of selling, too.

Does the home have a basement? It can be difficult for the next owner to get a loan, in many cases, if the home does not have central heating. Which may or may not be of concern to you.
In general you should get a decent payback for your expenditure.

I wouldn't live on the North Pole without central a/c

Many insurance companies will not insure a house that does not have central heating. For most people being un-insurable would be a really big negative factor in even considering a particular house. Draw your own conclusions.

Central air is a whole different thing, but it will certainly make a house more saleable as well as adding value. I can promise you that when it comes time to sell you will get more than enough for the house to off-set the cost of adding central heat and air.

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Gunsmithing since 1961

You will be more comfortable and because the inside air will be drier your guns will love you for it.

You will not recoup the total cost when it sells but it will sell for more with central than without.

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On the whistle draw and fire 6

Where do you live?

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

I can't imagine anybody with young children buying a house without heat. If you don't put in a central HVAC system you will be scaring away a large pool of potential buyers. Plus anybody with cardiac issues like me would want a place that would avoid extremes in temperature.
If you can swing it, get a combined HVAC and air filtration system. That would probably make it more attractive to anyone with dust and/or pollen related allergies, plus keep the place cleaner.
The rating system for HVAC systems is the Seer. I don't know how that was established, but I know the higher the Seer number the more efficient the system is. When I bought my first house, it came with an 8 Seer system. When the HVAC gave up the ghost, I replaced it with a 13 Seer system. Much more efficient.

Arkansas, so it gets miserable in the summer.
Oh, it already has heat, but all the ducts need replaced.

I feel your heat brother here in north Texas. I replaced my system a few years back and it was the best expenditure ever. My electric bills in August were running 700 bucks. The new system cut those down to less than half and in the summer I run 24 hours a day and keep the house at 65 degrees. And you are in the ballpark on price....I went with Carrier and bought their top of the line for just under 20k.....but man do I love my system. Do it.

You see these through the wall units that are unobtrusive, up close to the ceiling, and look easier to install-no duct work, and NO I'm not talking about window units. One could even add a room at a time with those I reckon?

I've seen some of the through the wall jobs. Mitsubishi, I think. Everyone has good things to say about them. I don't know what winters are like in Arkansas, but a heat pump takes care of heat and cool with one unit using the same ducts. Usually an easy install if you have a basement or open attic.

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Time wounds all heels

The units you are talking about are called ductless mini split systems. Don't go with anything but Mitsubishi or Fujitsu.

You can have up to 4 indoor heads on one outside unit. They also will provide auxillary heat. Don't believe them when they say they can be used as a dehumidifier. They have a dry mode, but it doesn't work like a real dehumidifier.

If you have forced hot air heat, you already have ducts go with adding an A coil to your furnace.

I wouldn't buy a house without central heat and air. We replaced our unit about 5 years ago. Did it in the fall. We have added more insulation in the ceiling, double pane windows, a new roof and siding since we paid it off about 10 years ago. Made our power bill much less.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

Typically having a central AC/heat will add value to your home. There are many factors that impact your costs as well and there may be a point of diminishing returns. Thing like how old is your home, does it currently have ductwork, do you have gas lines and electrical runs to the equipment locations et. et.

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Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

Be sure to buy an AC unit with the "NEW" type Freon. It's called 410A Refrigerant. Also called "Puron" by Carrier.
The old R22 type is obsolete, expensive and in short supply.

This says it very well.

Good central heating and A/C system makes your home more desirable to more people, thus more competitive on the marketplace, more likely to sell, and more likely to bring a price in the upper range of value for comparable properties.

Put any value you like on your home, but the numbers are meaningless until and unless someone is ready, willing, and able to buy.

We put in a new air source heat pump for our home seven years ago. It cost us $7500 and the city gave us back $1500 in the form of a rebate. Our home was built in 1910 and is a two story with a walk up attic and a full basement. Two years ago we had to pay another $1600 to have some of the ductwork redone which helped the unit run more efficiently and also reduced our monthly heating/ a/c bill even more.

We would never own a home without central heat and air.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

Up in the mountains where I now live central heat is a must. We also have a pellet stove in the great room. Makes a good back up heat source if necessary. Most year around house up here have a good stove or fireplace just in case. In fact my son does about 90% of his heating with a large wood stove!

Air now thats a different story, for the most part we only get a couple super warm days and nights up here. Its easily handled by the paddle fans. (we have 4) I did have a A coil put in the furnace when we built house but see no need to put in the rest of the AC stuff. I doubt if we were trying to sell it , having no AC would be a hindrance.

We do have a whole house stand by generator, that is a real serious + up here in the boonies!

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!