As the summer months approach and air conditioning units are started up after being dormant for many months throughout the winter many customers question whether they should buy a new air conditioning unit or whether their existing unit can make it through another hot summer. Here are some things to consider when presented with this question:
The first consideration is the age of your air conditioning unit. If your AC unit is 10 years old or older, today’s air conditioning units are built to be much quieter and more efficient, meaning energy savings which saves you money on your utility bills. Also, air conditioning manufacturers such as Lennox, Carrier, Trane, York, Rheem, etc. are backed with some of the best limited warranties in the business, so that is another consideration when thinking of replacing a unit that’s 10-plus years.
A second consideration is your air conditioning repair bills. If every year you’re having to have refrigerant added to your system or you’re having parts replaced or your unit is noisy, then it is possible that a change-out is a good idea.
A third consideration is if your unit runs on R-22 refrigerant and is exhibiting some of the above issues, then you might consider replacing your existing unit. R-22 is currently being phased out in the U.S. due to its very high potential to exacerbate ozone depletion, so if your unit is 10-plus years and exhibiting performance issues then it might be time to change to a cooling coil and condenser that runs on R-410A refrigerant which will be a more efficient unit.
Now, repairing your unit rather than replacing it is a good idea if your air conditioning unit is under 10 years and the cost to repair the problem is under $500. If you are not running your air conditioner a lot during the summer months and are not having major problems, then obviously it makes sense to keep your existing unit and make moderate repairs as necessary.
If you think you are needing to change out your system, it is always a good idea to educate yourself by learning about the different products offered and manufacturer warranties. Also it is a good idea to get estimates from at least three different air conditioning companies when in the marketing of buy a new air conditioning system.