Best of Q&A: Will Central Heat and Air Increase The Value Of Our Home?
Each week we feature some of the many questions that come in to the REALTOR®.com Q&A section. Today’s question comes from Washington,DC.
Q: Will changing from radiator heat and an AC unit to central air increase the value of my home?
We have a two-level 2400 total square foot house that has radiator heating throughout and AC on the top level. We are thinking of just replacing the AC unit because it is 30 years old or going with the more expensive option of adding in central heating and AC. Would switching to central air increase the value of my home?
A: I am glad to hear you are considering adding central AC. This will certainly increase the value of your home.
The radiator heating system, if maintained regularly, is an excellent and efficient heating system. Don’t get rid of it. I would suggest keeping the radiator heating system, but certainly add the central AC system. But if you are adding the central AC system, it is probably worth your time to go ahead and make that a central heating and cooling system.
Some potential buyers and homeowners feel like radiators impede on spaces. So that is why I suggest adding the central heating and cooling system. If you are considering selling your home any time in the future, you will attract a greater pool of potential buyers by having both systems in place. And if certain potential buyers don’t like the radiator system, all they will have to do is remove the radiator system without having to also install a replacement heating source/system.
So many potential buyers will not consider homes that do not have central heating and cooling. The idea of installing central heating and cooling into a home is too daunting and expensive to potential home buyers. When spending so much at the time of purchasing a home, they don’t want to incur that extra expense and have the disruption of all that work throughout their home that they are moving in to.