Replacing your home’s air conditioner is likely one of the biggest decisions you will make this summer to keep your family comfortable. Whether to choose between an AC repair or an entire air conditioner replacement is a call you may have to deal with. Fortunately there is a point at which you can know it’s time to stop spending on AC repairs and choose to replace your air conditioner.
Increasing AC Age
Something to consider before getting too far in to the process is the age of the air conditioner. Like many mechanical devices, air conditioners will give out over time. With a new air conditioner, newer technology gives you greater comfort and greater reliability, for less money. While it’s not on the same scale, you could liken heating and air conditioning equipment to computers. The technology does have a life expectancy and newer, more advanced upgrades are always being born.
Increasing AC Repair Costs
With an appliance as intricate as a central air conditioner, there are parts that give out and break down over time, especially if routine maintenance has not been done. A well-maintained unit should work well throughout peak air conditioning season. A good rule of thumb when deciding to replace the air conditioner is that if annual AC repair costs approach $1,200, it maybe a good time to replace. That’s because the average monthly payment of an entirely new air conditioning system is the equivalent of that single repair cost.
Another way to think about this is, if the cost for the AC repair is 1/12 of the cost of a new AC replacement, the bonuses of the replacement air conditioner in low monthly payments, energy bill reduction and improved comfort likely outweighs the investment in the AC repair.
Decreasing Efficiency
Noticing decreases in your energy bill doesn’t take long when it happens consistently. It can be easy to write it off as an anomaly, but be sure to take a closer look at the energy you’re consuming and see if those increases are due to greater usage, or more likely due to something else like lower efficiency of your home’s air conditioner. The older your AC system gets (and the longer it goes before being maintained), the more inefficient it will become. It may also be an indicator that it’s time for air conditioner replacement.
Noise Pollution
Older air conditioners and ductwork work much louder than today’s new AC systems. That annoying clanking you’ve become familiar with, or the overall noise level when the air conditioner is working could mean the end is near for your current air conditioner. You might now realize how much noise you and your family have been living with until you realize the extreme quiet that a newer, more modern air conditioning system can offer.
Of course, these aren’t the only concerns that highlight the need for air conditioner replacement, but they are a couple of the more common ones that we see daily. Roland J. Down Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning can help by giving you a free assessment of your home’s air conditioning system to help determine whether the time has come for your air conditioner to be replaced, or if it’s best to proceed with an AC repair. Albany has trusted us for a reason, and that’s because your comfort is always top priority. Give us a call at or set up a free appointment today.