“A 26-year-old furnace with a failing control board is a money pit waiting to happen.”

Before closing on a manufactured home marketed as move-in ready, a first-time buyer says an inspection found that the 26-year-old furnace was shutting down and going into safety lockout.

What happened

In a post on r/FirstTimeHomeBuyer, the buyer said the problem first surfaced during a general inspection, when the furnace turned itself off and then entered a safety lockout. The inspector reportedly described it as “critically failing.”

According to the Reddit thread, a separate HVAC specialist later said the control board was malfunctioning and estimated the repair at about $1,200 with labor.

After the buyer raised the issue, the sales office initially pointed to the home’s “as is” condition. The seller then brought in its own HVAC contractor, who reportedly said the furnace was operating properly.

“It was advertised as move-in ready, and the ‘as is’ argument came back after my inspection caused problems,” the original poster wrote.

A failing furnace can quickly turn a lower purchase price into a much larger long-term expense. Upgrading heating and cooling systems can help reduce utility bills and protect against rising energy costs, and Palmetto says it can help homeowners review HVAC options, including newer high-efficiency systems and heat pumps.

Palmetto’s Comfort Plan network also connects homeowners with efficient heating and cooling solutions and vetted installers.

More background

Cost was a major reason the buyer was still considering the deal. They said the home was in a park and priced at $70,000, while other homes in the same park were listed above $100,000 and some were pending around $200,000. The poster also noted that the park has low lot rent and does not allow rentals.

The buyer said the local housing market left few other options. According to the post, even older site-built homes without updates started at about $360,000, and nearby rent was not especially appealing either.

Some commenters said the seller’s favorable inspection should not outweigh the two earlier reports that pointed to a problem.

What can be done?

Rather than debating which contractor was correct, commenters advised the buyer to focus on the paperwork and consider walking away from the purchase.

“A 26 year old furnace with a failing control board is a money pit waiting to happen, walk or demand the $1200 credit at closing,” one commenter wrote.

The buyer appeared resigned to either covering the repair or backing out.

“Im just bracing to pay and fix it at this point honestly,” they wrote. “It sucks but it’s part of the process I guess. At least the roof is new.”

For homeowners dealing with an older system like this one, a Comfort Plan can include $0-down options that may lower heating and cooling costs, and Palmetto Comfort Plans include 12 years of free maintenance.

Homeowners can also pair solar panels with electric appliances, including efficient HVAC systems, to lower utility costs further, and EnergySage says it helps compare solar options and find the best system and installer for a home and budget. EnergySage says homeowners can save up to $10,000 on solar installations.

Where can I learn more?

Disputes over heating problems, conflicting HVAC opinions, and costly repair decisions often affect homebuyers and homeowners.

• One homebuyer considered suing after an inspector's $12,000 mistake left the new house downgraded.
• A homeowner said a simple HVAC repair turned into an “unprofessional” $2,300 bill.
• Homeowners accused HVAC contractors of using trust-me sales tactics to push pricey systems.
• One homeowner was shocked when an HVAC tech pitched a nearly $30,000 furnace replacement.