How old would you say are the "youth" of today?

[Cadiewampus]

1081 square foot house. But we're in California and the building permit alone was $1,500. Throw in the crane rental and the sheetmetal work I mentioned above, that's darn near half what you paid. And pretty much if your ducts are more than 10 years old, you have to replace all of them with new energy efficient ones. That is thousands also. I think the require duct leak test is $500.
I have a 2010 square foot house with a Heat Pump. I paid $3,000 installed for a new one in 1991, and my service company says I should plan on about $10,000 to replace it.
Looking online just the Heat Pump itself runs $2,500 to $3,700 for brands I have never heard of (Direct Comfort, Goodman). Brands I have heard of cost more (Lennox, Trane, Carrier, American Standard, Bryant, Amana, Ruud).

just replaced my unit last September. (old one was 20 years old) Anyway we had a heat pump with gas furnace back up. I decided not to get another heat pump to replace the one that went out. We like the way gas heats better anyway and natural gas is much more efficient to heat with. AC guys said in order to get a heat pump as efficient you would have to spend $15 to $20k for a top of the line unit. I ended up putting in a Lennox 16 seer AC unit. Bills have been much lower cooling than they ever were with the heat pump. Had them put in a new air cleaner unit as well as rework some of pipe for condensation pump and repair some duct work. Total was around $6300.00

 

[Hikergirl]

Considering I can cover my kids on my health insurance until they are 26, I'll go with under that.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I think, youth is preteens. If you’re not learning to be independent in your teens, then that’s a problem.

I'm going by the age group of my church's youth group and young adult class

 

[E&Cmom]

Also youth tickets when available usually include teens.

 

[Kitty 34]

I'm going by the age group of my church's youth group and young adult class

True....my sons were all in the church youth group which included all 6th to 12th graders. Actually one of mine decided that that youth group too young when he started HS.

 

[tvguy]

just replaced my unit last September. (old one was 20 years old) Anyway we had a heat pump with gas furnace back up. I decided not to get another heat pump to replace the one that went out. We like the way gas heats better anyway and natural gas is much more efficient to heat with. AC guys said in order to get a heat pump as efficient you would have to spend $15 to $20k for a top of the line unit. I ended up putting in a Lennox 16 seer AC unit. Bills have been much lower cooling than they ever were with the heat pump. Had them put in a new air cleaner unit as well as rework some of pipe for condensation pump and repair some duct work. Total was around $6300.00

The cost of natural gas and electric in an area is a huge issue. Our electricity is provided by a rate payer owner utility, natural gas by a private company (P-G-& E). Historically electric prices have been so low that all electric subdivisions are common, including mine. In 1990 electric rates soared because voters in 1989 voted to close our Nuclear Power Plant over safety concerns. Gas rates plunged, and a handful of my neighbors paid to have a gas line pulled in and they switched out their furnaces, stoves and water heaters. 1991 electric rates went back down, natural gas prices back up. Been in my all electric house for 36 years and 1990 was the only year where natural gas made economy sense. We live in a mild climate, so heat and heating efficiency aren't big factors. Summer AC is what is top priority. I have added solar, but my winter electric bills, despite the need to use lights more, are very low. Lennox is a premium brand IMHO. My parents house had a split Lennox system that was 53 years old when I sold their house. The investors I sold the house to did over $100,000 in renovations, but they left that Lennox in.