3 Reasons To Upgrade Your HVAC System
Deciding to upgrade your HVAC system is a big decision. A new HVAC system is a large investment, and one that impacts not only your wallet, but also your home comfort and energy bills for the next decade.
I’ve been upgrading and replacing HVAC systems in Southwest Virginia for 15 years, and I know how much it can improve a home. Not just the comfort, but the energy bills, the indoor air quality, and the value of the home. In this article, I’ll go over a few of the key reasons you’ll want to upgrade your HVAC system.
If you want to speak to an expert here at Complete Comfort, just give us a call at (276) 690-9222, or contact us online. We can answer any questions you may have about your home comfort, and set you up with an appointment for an estimate on a new system.
Improve Comfort
Whenever you upgrade your HVAC system, the most noticeable improvement should be the comfort in your home. If you have an older heating or cooling system, chances are it’s lost efficiency over time, and the comfort in your home may not be all that it should be.
Upgrading to a new system provides more consistent and precise temperatures throughout your home. Newer systems operate more quietly, and some come with advanced features such as zoning capabilities, a smart thermostat, and humidity control. Whether it’s a high-efficiency heat pump, a variable-speed air conditioner, or an updated furnace, today’s HVAC units are designed to keep your home comfortable, while staying energy efficient.
In our part of Virginia, where the seasons can swing from cold and snowy winters to hot, humid summers, having a reliable HVAC system that can deal with the weather is important.
Better Energy Efficiency
One of the biggest reasons homeowners choose to upgrade their HVAC system is energy savings. They have an older system that isn’t providing the same comfort it used to years ago, and it’s running the energy bills up higher than they should be. HVAC systems manufactured even just 10-15 years ago are less efficient than the models available today. It’s not always easy to tell when you should replace your system, but age is a good gauge. This means that your system that isn’t keeping the space very comfortable, is also using more energy than a new system which would provide better heating and cooling.
In 2023, the requirements changed for cooling systems, and in our part of Virigina, it’s now required to have a minimum 15 SEER rating. Even outside of these requirements, newer systems are usually built with efficiency in mind,
Variable-speed motors, smart sensors, and inverter technology are some of the reasons that systems use less energy while delivering better comfort.
Many of our customers in Southwest Virginia see a significant drop in their utility bills after upgrading, especially when switching from older electric furnaces or baseboard heating to high-efficiency heat pumps. These are some of our favorite systems to install. Some of the newer ductless and dual-fuel systems can reduce energy costs by 10-30% or more over time.
If your system is over a decade old, it may be costing you more money than you realize. Lots of homeowners think they are saving money by using the old system. Instead, they’re more likely costing themselves by wasting energy, and potentially dealing with breakdowns, when they are going to have to upgrade in the future anyway.
Expiring Tax Credits
Another strong incentive to upgrade now is the availability of tax credits and rebates that help reduce the cost of a new HVAC system. Unfortunately, the tax credits are expiring in 2026, due to the “One Big Beautiful Bill”. Luckily they are still available through the end of 2025. Through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the 25C Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, homeowners can qualify for tax credits on heat pumps, furnaces, and air conditioners.
These credits can provide:
- Up to $2,000 for high-efficiency heat pumps
- Up to $600 for high-efficiency furnaces
- Up to $600 for high-efficiency air conditioners
- Up to $1,200 for other energy-efficient HVAC improvements
Local utility rebates from companies like Appalachian Power are unaffected by the new legislation. Those should still be available as long as you are within their dates of eligibility.
If you have questions about the best way to save when you upgrade your heating and cooling, we can help. We’re happy to help you understand which systems qualify for tax credits, and match you to the best system that fits your home’s needs.
Installing A New HVAC System In Your Virginia Home
At Complete Comfort, we’ve helped hundreds of homeowners throughout Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee upgrade their HVAC systems with confidence. Whether you’re in Chilhowie, Marion, Abingdon, or any of the surrounding towns, we take the time to evaluate your home, listen to your needs, and recommend a solution that fits your comfort goals and your budget.
We offer a variety of high-efficiency systems, including:
- Ducted and ductless heat pumps
- Dual-fuel HVAC systems
- Traditional furnaces and air conditioners
- Whole home generators
From start to finish, we’ll walk you through the process—from choosing the right system to installation, financing options, and helping you file for any tax credits or rebates.
If your current HVAC system is outdated, struggling to keep up, or costing you more than it should, it may be time to upgrade. Give us a call at (276) 690-9222 or contact us online to schedule your free estimate. Let’s make your home more comfortable and energy efficient for years to come.
We recommend that you change the air filter for your HVAC system once every 1-3 months. Changing the air filter for your AC system is an important part of regular maintenance for your HVAC system, but it’s often overlooked. This is a task you can perform on your own, and one that you should learn to perform on your own.
Your air filter sits in place in your HVAC system, catching any airborne particles that may pass through in the airflow. Allergens, bacteria, dust, dirt, mold spores, and pollen are just some of the irritants that get caught in the filter and are prevented from circulating in the air. After some time, the filter builds up with these irritants and gets clogged. 
We recommend that you have your AC serviced once a year, preferably before the really hot weather sets in for the summer. Taking care of your air conditioning system is important for its efficiency, performance, and lifespan. Depending on the age of your system and how much you use it, you may want to have it serviced twice a year, but as for most homes, once is enough and very beneficial. 
Now that you know a bit more about why you should have your AC system serviced, you should also know the best time of year to have the task performed. 
Losing power is always inconvenient, especially when it’s the middle of the summer. In our area located in Southwest Virginia and Northeastern Tennessee, we see some pretty bad storms. In 2024, there were power outages in the area that lasted for extended periods of time, and did tremendous damage. All that to say, we know how important it is to keep the power on in our homes. 
In years past, when the power would go out you’d lose your TV and radio, but that was really the only entertainment that would suffer from lost power. Now, with the internet being such a focus of entertainment, losing WIFI connectivity and internet access can limit the entertainment you can enjoy. Whether you’re checking the weather, working from home, or just trying to keep the kids entertained, having power to your router and television can make a huge difference. 
We recently installed a new 
If the power goes out, there goes the internet as well. In the area they live there aren’t great signals without the WiFi, and they wanted to be able to stay in touch with their family and friends. Not to mention the entertainment that comes along with having the internet. In the past this wasn’t as big of an issue, but with so much of what we interact with being on the internet, they wanted to be able to stay online, even when their area loses power. 
The owners of this lovely older Federal style home in Marion VA had a 25 year old HVAC system that was consistently needing repairs. As tends to happen, when the hot weather hit, the system started working overtime, and the stress led to more break-downs. The homeowner was an elderly woman and her son was helping her maintain the property, but needed to do so from his home out of state. That made getting prompt and courteous service important as well. The frequent breakdowns were causing a lot of stress, and were becoming more than just inconvenient. 
Once the family decided on the right system for the home, the next concern was installation. The team from Complete Comfort made sure to let the homeowner know when we would be there, what to expect, and how long the job would take. Here at Complete Comfort, we take pride in caring for your home like it was our own, and we know having a whole crew in your home can be stressful, especially when it’s hot weather and a speedy replacement is important. We worked to remove the old system and install the new Trane heating and air conditioning system quickly and efficiently, completing the job in one day, to get the home back to comfort as quickly as possible.
When it seems like your monthly bills just seem to go up and up, what can you do to try to keep those bills under control? Sometimes, the best place to start is to look at where you’re spending the most money. For the homeowners of this ranch home in Glade Springs, it was clear that their energy bills were costing them a fortune. Despite switching to more energy efficient lighting, and taking other steps, it was clear their energy bills were high because their home depended on electric baseboard heating.
One of the great things about ductless systems is that they act as heating and air conditioning. And unlike window air conditioners, these systems are whisper-quiet- only 15 db. That means you’ll barely notice anything but the comfort when the system turns on.
