It takes a lot of money to replace your whole AC unit, so you might have been trying to postpone it for as long as possible. Even though it’s a big investment, replacing the whole unit is much better than continuing to repair a unit that keeps failing. If you notice that there are continual problems with your AC unit, it might be time to go for a whole replacement. These factors below will help you decide.
Age of the Unit
For the most part, an AC unit will last for around 10-15 years. After you get to that point, you’ll often be spending more money than it’s worth to continue to repair the unit. Therefore, even if it can be repaired, you might want to just replace it instead.
The age of the unit is also important in terms of the technology of the unit. Older units will not have the energy efficiency that newer ones have. If your unit is over 10 years old, you may want to replace it for the sake of saving money on your energy bills. It’ll be a bigger investment at first, but you’ll save a lot of money in the long run.
If your AC is less than 10 years old, the general rule is to go for a repair. Truth is, there are very rare circumstances where you would need to completely replace such a new AC unit and that includes total system failure. This is also something to be wary of as AC companies out to scam customers might falsely tell their client to replace the unit when there is no need to.
Repair Cost
Your unit might be breaking down a lot, causing you to call your repair guy regularly to fix the unit. Repair costs can really add up. At a certain point, it becomes much more worth it to just replace the unit.
Weigh the cost of replacing a large part of your existing system with buying a new system that will not need a repair for a while. If you’re noticing a lot of repair costs, it’s best to save yourself money in the long run.
Comfort Level
Ultimately, you should replace your AC if it’s simply not keeping up. If you can’t keep your home cool and you just feel like the system isn’t working at its full capacity, it may be better to just replace it. Your AC is an appliance like any other and its efficiency will inevitably reduce over time.
Conclusion
You might not want to buy a new AC unit, since they do seem to be more expensive upfront than a repair. However, in the long run, it may just be more worth it to install a brand new unit. If you are confident that your AC unit is still relatively new and just needs a repair, then trust your gut feeling and do more research into it. Afterall, there are legit reasons to opt for a repair in certain situations. Don’t let any AC repair Orlando contractor pressure you into a replacement that doesn’t make sense to you.
Pat Ambrose has over 40 years of experience in the HVAC industry, serving Central Florida. He tested for and received his class B air conditioning license almost 35 years ago and then improved that to a class A license in the late 90s. Pat and his wife started their own HVAC business in the early 90s, serving Central Florida. Pat still serves as the president of Ambrose Air, Inc., where he works as the chief operating officer. Over his years in business, Pat has served as the president of both the local association (ACCA/CF) and the state association of contractors (FRACCA). His expertise has helped his customers on many occasions, solving air conditioning problems that others had missed.