Wondering if you should replace your old air conditioner or repair it?
We’re going to run through the indications that it’s time to consider having Day & Night Plumbing Heating & Cooling set up a new one on this blog post.
Keeping your air conditioner in working order
They should be in good condition to properly cool the room as soon as the temperature goes up. Taking good care of your air conditioner will help increase its life, while at the same time making it run more efficiently.
Air conditioners sometimes reach a point where they need to be replaced.
Knowing when to replace your air conditioner is definitely not an exact science. There are no strict guidelines that can inform you when to replace the air conditioning. That being said, here are five signs that likely mean you should contact Day & Night for a free in-home estimate on a new air conditioning installation.
Factor in the AC’s age
The reality is that older AC systems are not nearly as efficient as today’s new technology. Energy Star says you should consider replacing your air conditioner if it’s over 10 years old, and you should think about replacing your air conditioner if it’s over 15 years old (as this is the typical lifespan of most cooling devices).
How long does the average central air unit last in your home?
If you’re a homeowner, and you’ve ever had to buy a new AC unit, or if you’ve ever had problems with your AC in the past, you’ve probably asked yourself (and using Google to get here) “What is the average life of an air conditioner?” This is a good question. I mean, a new air conditioner is a big investment for anyone with a roof over their head, and you want to get the most bang for your buck.
The reply to that question can be a bit complicated, but on the bright side, if you decide to work with a company such as Day & Night Plumbing Heating & Cooling that sells systems from a trusted and tested manufacturer such as Carrier, you have nothing to worry about because they have spent years testing and improving their units for long-term reliability.
The truth is, the age range of an air conditioner can be all over the map for a couple key reasons. In this post, we’ll look at all of the variables that will contribute to the life-expectancy of your AC. When properly maintained and looked after, you can expect a new system to serve you for between 15 and 20 years.
What are some of the things that affect air conditioning lifespan?
You will need to perform tune-ups and other maintenance on your HVAC system in much the same way as you do your car. Some people believe when their unit dies for the first time and it’s out of warranty, that it’s time to get a new one.
Another individual might invest to get it fixed, even if the figure is hefty, to keep the functioning system for a couple of more years. This choice has a big impact on the life expectancy of an air conditioner.
The age of your system may depend on other factors in addition to maintenance:
- Proper installation
- The level of wear and tear and how comfortable person to person, month to month in your home
- Weather conditions, such as very cold or moist air
- Air quality (ie: the salty sea breeze or other air corrosives also in the air)
How much is your unit being used?
You may want to find out, “how long do AC units last in my area?” Of course a unit that is worked harder as well is going to experience more wear and tear than one that only operates half the time.
Here in the Albuquerque region, we have hot, muggy summers, and your air conditioner will be working overtime to keep your house cool.
Then there is personal taste, which is a big factor as well. If you choose to never break from a 70 degree thermostat setting, your AC is going to run a whole lot more often than the folks next door, whose thermostat kicks on at the not-so-chilly 78 degrees. But multiply this out by 15 years with comparable schedules for maintenance, and you can start to see the massive variation between the usages of each device.
Are you staying on top of yearly maintenance?
Rule number one with any piece of equipment is: preventive maintenance is key. When is the last time a professional technician came to your home to tune up your air conditioner? Are the air filters being replaced on a consistent basis? Do you wash the the outdoor unit and remove dirt, debris and leaves so they don’t block circulation?
And, as you can imagine, it’s important to stay on top of this maintenance if you would like to prolong the life of your AC unit. An air filter, a homeowner can inspect it and replace it every other month without a hassle. But, with a routine seasonal tune-up, the service technician can catch those little issues before they grow into big, AC breakdown causing issues. At King, we clean things including the compressor, the evaporator, the condenser coils, fan and motor components and the condensate drains. They can also calibrate and make any minor repairs that will optimize performance and maintain system operation at or close to peak energy efficiency.
What conditions is your unit being exposed to?
Consider the following: Your air conditioner lives outside all day, every day, for the most part all year. The elements would ravage it. And depending on where you live, it could be getting pummeled. Here in new Mexico, for instance, we have our air conditioners freeze exposed in the winter.
To keep your outdoor unit in good shape you can arrange for a professional to clean the coil on a regular basis to be certain it stays free of dust and other corrosive debris. You can also make sure to take out any leaves, pine needles, mulch and trash that can collect in the unit themselves. Just be cautious and ensure the fan of the air conditioner is not on while you do these things.
Apply the $5,000 rule
Some experts suggest weighing the possibility of replacing the unit by using the $5,000 rule. One simply multiplies the age of the cooling system by its repair cost. If it’s over $5,000, it’s also time to give the A.C. the boot. If not, you’re better off repairing the unit.
For example, if your air conditioner is 8 years old and the repair cost comes to $400, that’s $3,200. Day & Night Plumbing Heating & Cooling should come and repair the air conditioner. But if a repair will cost $700 on that same air conditioner, that sum is $5,600 and therefore you should think about having Day & Night Plumbing Heating & Cooling replace the air conditioner with a new one.
When should you replace your air conditioning unit?
It can be tough to say goodbye to things. We like to keep things for as long as we can, till it’s wrung out, to make sure we get everything out of what we have.” This holds true even for Air Conditioning units. However, when it’s time to make replacements, it can be hard to know when’s the right time to retire the old and make room for the new. So when do you know that it may be time to look in to getting a new air conditioning unit- before it completely quits working, that one is a given. Here are a couple of questions to ponder to understand whether it’s time to replace your air conditioning unit or you can make do with your old ac for a few more years.
Consider these questions, to give you a little more insight to whether or not it’s time to replace your air conditioning system. By answering these questions, you will be able to make a more intelligent (and I dare say, informed)decision about investing in your next ac units.
How old is your current ash unit?
The age of your existing A/C system is one of the largest influencers when determining replacement. Average unit life is 12-15 years. If you’re getting a solid 15 years worth of cooling from your air conditioning unit, I would call that a good life! If your a/c is getting up there in its years, and it seems to have lost some of the bounce in its step, then it’s time to start looking for a new unit.
If it is getting up there in age but is still working fine, however, you might be able to keep it for a bit longer before replacing it. So before you retire your a/c or keep it a little while longer, think about its age and then figure out how many good years it might have left.
Has your air conditioner been in need of a lot of repairs?
Let’s take a glance at your air conditioner’s journey so far to get a better handle on its future. Does it feel like your ac ought to be fixed every year?
Has it had many unforeseen issues come hampering along? If your a/c unit is aged, it is unlikely to suddenly become less challenged over time.
The condition of the repair that has been done to an air conditioning unit helps you get a peek as to the future and what there may be in store. If that road seems paved with repairs, costs and an a/c that you know will break down again, an air conditioning replacement could be the solution.
How is your AC holding up at the moment?
Assess your air conditioning’s condition. Here are a few ways to tell whether your air conditioner is functioning well.
- Overall your home is kept to the right temperature without a lot of ups and downs!
- All rooms of your home is receiving an even cooling.
- Your unit is not making audible unusual noises when you switch it on.
- You can monitor your energy bills and they don’t indicate an increase in energy usage attributed to having cooler air.
Life happens, and before you know it, your air conditioning unit may need some help. If it is working as good as it always has then that’s great, but if it’s not then you need to know what’s wrong with it. If you’ve noticed any signs that your air conditioner isn’t performing at its best, schedule time for an HVAC expert to come out and inspect your system. They will be able to advise you whether there are straightforward repairs that can be made to resolve the situation — or if you there’s any larger issue to start having in mind.
Contact Day & Night Plumbing Heating & Cooling for a complimentary in-home air conditioning estimate
If you need a checkup on your current air conditioner right alongside polar bears, getting a service check with our expert technicians is as easy as ever before. We also provide free in-home estimates when you’re in the market for a new air conditioner.
