Can I replace my furnace without replacing the AC at the same time? Or do you need to replace both for the entire system to be fully functional? Is it necessary to stress about it now or worry about it later? Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is as complex as any other mechanical system on the planet. It has different parts, different components, different mechanisms that work together to make a perfectly dependable system. A furnace and an air conditioner are equally independent units and operate separately, but they serve one purpose. That is to keep homes, offices, and buildings justly comfortable for people to use and for businesses to operate. As individual units that serve different purposes, oftentimes, people are presented with circumstances that will lead them to think whether both units need to be replaced at the same time. Should you replace your furnace and AC together? Although many sales people will tell you, it will be more beneficial for you to replace both at the same time, this isn’t always the case. There are a lot of factors to consider before one can conclude a definite answer. The heater (or the air handler) and the evaporator coil are both located indoors, and both are connected to the duct system. Meaning, if you are bound to replace the AC without replacing the furnace and coil, you are only replacing the AC’s outdoor unit. This action does not drastically change the overall functionality of the entire system. It will still work as intended and you can continue enjoying the comfort it brings. But there are unforeseen situations such parts going loose or small but important components failing or breaking that can alter the profound performance of the system. Each component has a purpose; therefore, it has to be carefully matched to the rest of the system for maximum performance. If a new component with different operating features is added, it can put stress on the other parts and the system itself. That’s unnecessary stress you want to avoid for your comfort system. Marthedal Solar, Air & Heating 1441 N Thesta St Fresno, CA 93703 (559) 266-9525