Air conditioners: 10–15 years. Furnaces and boilers: 15–20. In NYC conditions, usually the shorter end — unless someone's been maintaining it. Here's how to know whether your next repair is worth it.
The direct answer: a central air conditioner typically lasts 10–15 years, a furnace or boiler 15–20, and a well-installed mini-split 15+. But those are laboratory numbers. NYC's old building stock, hard starts through heat waves, and skipped maintenance regularly take years off. The most useful question isn't "how long should it last" — it's "is this system still worth putting money into."
The cleanest repair-or-replace test we know: multiply the system's age by the repair quote. If the result is over $5,000, put the money toward replacement.
A second test: if a repair approaches half the cost of a new system, replacement wins — the remaining components are the same age as the one that just failed.
Three decades across the five boroughs has shown us the same patterns: systems that were undersized on day one and run flat-out every summer; condensers on rooftops and setbacks coated in city grime; prewar electrical quirks that stress compressors; and above all, skipped maintenance — a unit designed for 15 years fails at 10 when nobody ever cleaned a coil or caught a slow leak. The systems that reach year 18 aren't lucky; they got a tune-up every season.
From our published price list: central A/C replacement runs $6,500–$10,500 (removal of the old system plus a new 2–3.5 ton high-efficiency unit), boiler or furnace replacement $6,000–$12,000, and a single-zone mini-split $4,000–$7,500 installed. Deciding between system types? See mini-split vs central air for NYC homes. All prices are on our services page.
Second opinions pay for themselves. "You need a whole new system" isn't always true — we've saved homeowners thousands by fixing what another company wanted to rip out. And when replacement genuinely is the answer, we'll show you the math.
Can I just replace the outdoor unit? Sometimes, but mismatched indoor/outdoor components lose efficiency and can void warranties. We'll tell you honestly if a partial replacement makes sense for your setup.
How long does replacement take? Most central A/C and furnace swaps are done in one to two days, including removal of the old equipment.
Is a new system really cheaper to run? Meaningfully — modern high-efficiency units routinely cut cooling costs 20–40% versus a 15-year-old system, which offsets part of the purchase over its life.
