This question is tough for homeowners to answer: “Should I repair or replace my air conditioner?” It’s tough to answer because you’re not sure if the timing is right yet. If you replace it too early, you may be paying for an appliance when you don’t need to. But if you repair it, and it dies a year later, then you just wasted your money. You’re not the only one with this with this question. However, the answer is more complex than you’d think. There’s no one single reason to replace your air conditioner because it depends on different factors. Here are 5 of them.
- The air conditioner’s age
The average air conditioner lives about 10-15 years, according to the National Association of Home Builders So if your air conditioner is past its prime, it may not be worth repairing since the frequency of repairs increases the older the A/C is. Speaking of frequency...
- The frequency of the repairs
Did you need to repair your air conditioner last year? What about the year before that? Needing a major repair on air conditioner within a 2-year period is too frequent. This is a sign your air conditioner is most likely going to break down again soon in the future. Especially if it’s never/rarely been professionally maintained.
- Energy bills are too high
Over time an air conditioner becomes less efficient. So even if your air conditioner is old and fully functioning, your cooling costs may be outrageous. That’s a good enough reason to invest in a new air conditioner—especially if your current one is old. We suggest getting a high efficiency unit with an ENERGY STAR label. Learn about air conditioner energy efficiency in our article about the SEER rating.
- You’re never comfortable in your home
We’ve had several homeowners come to us needing an air conditioner repair saying, “Listen, this thing has never kept my family comfortable. How much would it cost to get it out of here and get a new air conditioner?” If your air conditioner just isn’t meeting your comfort needs, then don’t feel bad not wanting to repair it! Invest in a better air conditioner. You’ll be glad you did.
- A major part has failed and the warranty has expired
If a major part (like the compressor) fails and the air conditioner’s warranty has expired, you’ll be paying big bucks to repair it. However, we can’t tell you how expensive is too expensive before you should consider replacing your air conditioner. That’s up to you. You should weigh the cost of the repair with the other 4 factors we’ve mentioned. For example, the older your air conditioner is, the less likely you’ll want to sink money into a new compressor. Especially if the warranty has expired. If you decide to replace your air conditioner, don’t make these 3 mistakes that will cost you. And of course, if you need help deciding what to do, contact us. Ragsdale Heating, Air and Plumbing has been serving the metro Atlanta area for over 20 years.
