Serious question, did anyone else have to pick between a new roof or a new HVAC unit?

My 20-year-old AC in my Grant Park bungalow died in July, and the inspection also showed the roof had maybe 2 years left. I had $15,000 saved for home stuff. I could replace the whole HVAC system for about $12,000, or do the roof for $10,500. I went with the roof because a leak would cause way more damage, and I figured I could tough out the heat with window units for a year. It was the right call, but sweating through last August was brutal. Anyone in a similar spot have tips for saving up for the next big repair?

2 comments

2 Comments

harris.zara28d ago

Honestly, I would have gone with the HVAC every time. A roof with two years left is still a roof. A dead AC in a Georgia summer is a health risk, especially for kids or older people. Window units are a band-aid, they don't cool the whole house evenly and your power bill will be insane. Water damage from a future leak is maybe a problem, but heat stroke is a right now problem.

emeryp2328d ago

Facts. @harris.zara is 100% right. A roof leak you can maybe catch with a bucket for a minute. Try putting a bucket under a heat stroke. My buddy tried the window unit thing last July, his power bill was more than his car payment. His living room was an icebox but you'd sweat just walking to the bathroom. That Georgia heat ain't a joke, it sits on you like a wet blanket. Gotta fix the AC first, no question.