The first factor to consider is the age of the air conditioner. If the air conditioner is over 10 years old, it might be a good idea to replace it. Usually the old air conditioners were made with the R-22 refrigerant that helps deplete our ozone and they are phasing it out. Since they are phasing R-22 out, the cost is going up to recharge the air conditioner with it. The air conditioner typically give 15 good years of service so the closer to that you get, the more of a chance that replacing instead of repairing would be better. Older AC’s are less efficient, have reduced performance, and they can be pretty expensive to fix. If the air conditioner you have now is constantly breaking then it is time to replace it instead of pour money into it. Also, as the unit gets older, it gets less efficient and makes your energy bills higher.
To repair the AC you can use new parts in it that match the old one but its not always as efficient or high performing. If your unit is less than 10 years old then fixing it will be a good idea. At that age it is still running well. If there is only one part of the air conditioner that needs to be replaced and it costs less than 30% of the cost of buying a new unit then definitely fix the one you have now. Another thing to consider is how long you will be living at your home. If you aren’t going to be staying there more than a couple more years, then repair the part that is broken and the next home dwellers can buy a new air conditioner when they move in.Your unit may just need to be cleaned and tuned up so schedule a clean and check to see if that was the issue. You may also just need to change a filter in order for the AC to run better. Try those few things before deciding to buy a new one.
Something else to look into while considering repair or replacement is your duct system. If your ducts are leaking, neither a new or repaired system will cool your house down. Making sure your AC is sized right for your house is a good idea. Your old unit may be too big or too small for your home so in that case you should get a new one that is the right size for you. If you do buy a new air conditioner and get a high efficiency unit, you will be eligible for tax credits and you will be spending less on the energy bills. Call Bartlett Heating and Air today and we will come out and help you decide what choice is best!
