Your home is one of the largest, most important investments you can make. That’s why you must ensure its value never deteriorates but continues to increase with time. One way to maintain a high-value home is by installing a functional Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) unit. 

Installing an HVAC unit alone isn’t enough if you maintain an old unit over the years. You need to constantly upgrade your unit to meet modern homes’ latest heating and cooling demands and keep your home’s value high. Below, we’ll look at the top seven ways to upgrade your HVAC unit to increase your home’s value.

1. Buy a Smart Thermostat

As of October 2024, the smart thermostat market generated an average of $5.3 billion in revenue globally. This is a solid indication of the high demand for these products, meaning more homeowners are installing them for efficient heating and cooling.

Installing a smart thermostat transforms how you manage your home’s temperature. Since they’re Wi-Fi-enabled, you can control your heating and cooling schedules remotely, making it convenient for everyone. Smart thermostats also monitor energy consumption and recommend solutions or adjust effectively to ensure you’re not slapped with high bills every month. Home buyers are most likely to buy a home with an already functional smart thermostat installed as it allows them to adjust to the new house seamlessly. 

2. Upgrade Your Ductwork

Your home’s ductwork is the conduit through which fresh air circulates into your house while stale air exits. It effectively connects to your HVAC system, making it an integral part of its ability to function seamlessly.

While the ductwork often exhibits an unsightly and unappealing appearance, maintaining and upgrading it can greatly enhance your HVAC’s functionality. The ductwork carries air from your home’s central air conditioner, distributing it where needed.

If your ductwork is worn out, you’ll notice increased dust buildup on surfaces, a drop in efficiency, and poor airflow throughout your home. Repairing ductwork often requires a professional touch. If you suspect a problem with your ductwork, consider contacting an HVAC emergency service immediately.

3. Incorporate HVAC Zoning

Using your HVAC system to heat and cool your whole house at once can offer many benefits for the extreme seasons. However, this type of heating and cooling can also be problematic during the shoulder or fringe seasons. You might experience air imbalances; certain areas become hot while others remain cold.

To solve this heating imbalance problem, you need to zone your HVAC system. Zoning is localizing your HVAC’s heating and cooling effects so you can control the temperatures of individual areas within your home. For instance, if you need more heat in your bedroom but none in the living room at a particular time, you can achieve this effect using a zoning system.

You can install ductless mini splits or modify your ductwork with a damper system to zone your HVAC. Regardless of the option you pick, you must shop for a fairly priced solution. Ductwork modifications are relatively expensive and can affect the overall cost of HVAC upgrades, but they are a worthy investment. Regardless of how you modify your ductwork, HVAC zoning is a sure way to improve your home’s value and attract serious buyers.

4. Install an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV)

Going smart doesn’t stop with installing a smart thermostat. An ERV is another smart inclusion when upgrading your HVAC to add value to your system and home. The ERV systems replace your stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air in a seamless process that doesn’t cost extra energy.

Since the heat and moisture exchange happens within the system, the process is completed without energy loss, especially compared to conventional ventilation methods like opening windows. Buyers will certainly be impressed by an HVAC system that offers them an easier way of managing ventilation without constantly opening and closing their windows.

5. Add Humidity Control

You can add humidifiers and dehumidifiers to help control your home’s humidity while making your HVAC unit work more efficiently. A humidifier will add moisture to your home, ensuring that dry air doesn’t cause your home’s wood elements to warp and crack. It also ensures your home is generally comfortable and healthy to sit and relax.

On the other hand, if you have a problem with excess moisture at home, incorporating a dehumidifier can help prevent mold growth and airborne illnesses. Your HVAC expert can help test internal humidity levels so you know the best steps to take.

6. Invest in Annual HVAC Maintenance

Even if you have the latest HVAC units with effective support systems, leaving them uninspected for long can cause problems. Many homeowners wait until the unit is not working or when there’s a visible problem to call the experts.

Waiting this late into the process can only lead to expensive repairs, or sometimes, you may need to replace the entire unit. Annual maintenance helps detect potential problems early before they wreak havoc. Dirty coils and filters can compromise the unit’s healthy performance, reducing its lifespan.

By maintaining annual upkeep, you can trust that homebuyers will still choose your home even if the unit isn’t new. While finding a home with a new AC is ideal, a well-maintained home is still a good sign to buyers.

7. Replace the Old, Outdated HVAC Unit

Old and outdated units will not benefit anyone, even if you repair them. If your unit is almost 15 years old or older, you can replace it with a more efficient one before putting your house up for sale. Old and outdated HVAC units are grounds for a bargain and can see your home lose a significant value, attracting a lower price. 

Additionally, repairing or upgrading an outdated unit might be costly and may not give you the return on investment (ROI) you expected. Homebuyers are always looking for new AC units when buying a home, and installing these new units in advance will only help your home sell faster at an impressive price.

Conclusion

Whether you’re selling now or planning to sell in the future, investing in these seven HVAC upgrades will significantly raise your home’s value. The retail market is competitive, and homeowners are creatively finding ways to beat their competition. A simple HVAC upgrade, like installing a smart thermostat, can be the difference between selling now or later. Choose the most relevant upgrade for your unit and go for it fully.

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