Repair or replace a commercial rooftop unit? A Western Washington guide

When a rooftop unit fails, the first question is whether to fix it or replace it. Here’s how we help owners and property managers make that call in Washington.

Repair usually makes sense when

• The unit is in the middle of its life and the failure is a single part: a motor, a capacitor, a contactor or an igniter
• The compressor and heat exchanger are sound
• The repair is a small fraction of replacement cost

Replacement usually makes sense when

• The compressor has failed on an older unit
• The heat exchanger is cracked (a carbon monoxide risk)
• Repairs keep stacking up year after year
• You need to cut energy use for Clean Buildings or Seattle BEPS

The energy code catch

Washington’s commercial energy code (WSEC, section C503.4.6) generally requires heat pumps when rooftop units are replaced, unless a specific exception applies. Owners expecting a like-for-like gas swap are sometimes surprised. We confirm and document the code path before we quote, so the permit doesn’t bounce mid-project.

Reuse what you can

Sound ductwork, curbs, gas piping and wiring can often stay, which cuts the cost of a replacement. On a recent bank branch job we replaced four rooftop units and reused the existing rough-ins.

Need help deciding? Replacements & design-build · Financing