Is there something wrong with your furnace or air conditioner? Is repair all that you need? Or should we learn about a new system that is more reliable and effective?

New equipment would replace it with a better system, but you don’t want to ditch your existing system so soon. Repairs are budget friendlier than full replacements, and if you’re just spending to keep your old system limping along, it might be less cost effective in the long run.

Is It Better to Repair or Replace Your AC?

If you’re still unsure, consider the following questions to make a well-informed decision.

What is your existing AC system’s age?

• 0 to 9 years old: Your AC system likely has years of life left. It may be worth repairing instead of replacing.
• 10 to 13 years old: Some high-use heating and air conditioning systems wear out after a decade, and some 10-year old water heaters can fail. But if you have maintained your equipment well over the years, it might still have a long life ahead of it.
• 14 to 20 years old: That’s how long you can expect well-maintained HVAC equipment to last. One could be in a position to replace at that age.

What is the repair cost?

Under 50% of replacement cost: If your HVAC equipment is under 10 years old and the repair is less than 50% of the cost to replace it, a repair is likely the best plan. And if you’ve also taken good care of your 10- to 13-year-old, a relatively inexpensive repair could be worth the cost.

Over 50 percent replacement cost: No matter the age of your equipment, it’s tough to justify a big repair cost. It may be money well spent if you invested in a system less than 10 years ago, but if your equipment is more than a decade old, consider replacing it if the repair cost is high.

How frequent is the air conditioning system prone to failing?

• Less frequently: And until now, has your motor been running smoothly? This degradation is likely an outlier, and a repair is probably worthwhile.
• Once a year or more: Are you constantly asking for emergency repairs every few months? It might end up being less expensive to purchase a new, trusted HVAC unit.

What’s the efficiency of your air conditioner?

• 14 SEER or above: SEER, which stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, measures how efficiently your air-conditioning system works. 14 SEER isn’t bad, and it would keep your bills relatively low, so it might be worth fixing the one you have.
• 13 SEER or below: You could potentially save 25 percent a year of cooling costs by replacing your 12 SEER air conditioner that is 15 years old with a new 16 SEER unit. SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) ratings do not exceed 25, so the potential for energy savings is even greater.

What is your efficiency rating of your furnace?

• 80 AFUE or higher: AFUE stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency and it gauges your furnace’s performance. Your heating costs will be relatively low if your furnace is 80 AFUE or above, and you could probably get away with repairing your system.
• 78 AFUE and under: Swapping your 20-year-old 60 AFUE furnace for a 90 AFUE model can cut your heating bills by 33 percent. The most effective furnaces are 98 AFUE, meaning it converts 98 percent of the energy it uses into heat, making it both energy-efficient and cost-saving.

What is your furnace’s efficiency rating?

No: These circumstances suggest that your heating and cooling system is still functioning at or near its full potential, and a repair is probably worth it.

Yes: your energy costs may go up (necessitating higher bills as time goes by), but your usage should not surge abruptly. An unexpected increase in heating and cooling costs might suggest your HVAC system is spiraling toward the end, and you’ll need to start from scratch soon.

So, whether you are looking for air conditioner repair or replacement, or need heating system repair or replacement: AirCo has got you covered. For all repair work we do, we stand behind it with our 100% comfort guarantee and we provide flexible financing on top of the line HVAC systems today if you decide to replace your unit.

Give us a call to schedule your HVAC repair or installation estimate today!

The Benefits of Proper Maintenance

Tune-ups lead to better reliability, efficiency, and system life for your heating and cooling system. It is estimated that half of all expensive failures can be prevented just by performing routine maintenance. Using these techniques, you could add years to the life of your system:

• Replace your filter every one to three months.
• Trim away vegetation, and anything that could obstruct airflow, around the outdoor unit to ensure sufficient air flow.
• Be sure furniture, rugs and drapes are not covering return registers. And keep at least 80% of your supply registers open at all times.
• Get two maintenance checks each and every year to ensure that your system(s) are running efficiently and reliably.