It can be a challenge for many homeowners to know when to give in and start shopping for a new air conditioner. Most people tend to wait until they have gotten every last second of service possible from their current unit. But that often ends up with suffering through a few very miserable days with no AC. And you hate to call a contractor to ask for an AC evaluation because everyone is going to try to sell you a new unit, even if you don’t need one. But if you understand a few simple signals that you will get from your air conditioner, you will know when to start your search for a new AC and avoid enduring a few hot days with no cool air in your home.
The Signs To Recognize
Old age catches up to everyone, and everything, including your home’s AC unit. Knowing that the industry-standard life expectancy for a residential air conditioning system is about 10-15 years is very helpful. You can factor in the amount of use the unit gets and know that living in a cooler region will get you closer to the 15-year mark. But if you are in a warmer climate, a decade is a good length of service. Also, be honest about how well you cared for your AC system. If you had it professionally cleaned and serviced each year, you should be getting a longer overall life expectancy. But if you have never called an HVAC company since the day the unit was installed, be thrilled to get ten years out of your home’s air conditioner.
Honestly evaluate how well your air conditioner is doing its job. If you are no longer comfortable during the hotter months of the year, then you should be thinking about a replacement. Over time, the unit will become less efficient at cooling your home. You can start with scheduling a cleaning and tune-up to see if that will get you another year of service. Still, the chances are good that you will need to start planning for a replacement in the next year or so.
If you are trying not to use your AC because of the spike in your electric bill when it is operating, you need a new unit. Modern air conditioners are far more energy-efficient than units installed just a decade ago. There is no reason that you should be uncomfortable in your own home because your old AC is an electricity hog. Start shopping for a new unit. If a replacement is not in your current budget, have your current AC inspected and tuned up to get through the summer. But start saving for a new unit soon.
If your HVAC company delivers a laundry list of repairs needed for your current AC, start thinking about a replacement instead. The general rule is that you should never invest more than 25% of the cost of a new AC in your current model. With the added energy efficiency of a new unit, you are ahead of the game to put that 25% toward replacement. That will provide the best return on your investment. And a new air conditioning system will increase the value of your home. But repairing the old unit will not add any value to your property.
For an evaluation of your current AC or a price quote for a new unit, call (850) 831-4599. The trustworthy team at Payne’s Heating and Air Conditioning will provide you with honest answers to your difficult questions about repairing or replacing your home’s air conditioner.
