No matter how well you take care of your air conditioner, there will come a time when you have to replace it with a new one. You can invest in the best possible system, schedule maintenance once a year, and have any apparent problems repaired as soon as they appear—but there’s nothing you can do to stop a system from simply wearing out after a while. So how can you tell when it’s time to get rid of your old system and invest in a new one?
Age
Most air conditioners are built to last anywhere between 10 to 15 years. That doesn’t mean that your air conditioner can’t last beyond that, but most systems will fail around that time. Even if your air conditioner is working perfectly fine past 20 years of age, you would likely save more money by upgrading to a more efficient system.
Efficiency
As a system gets older and wears out, it will slowly start to lose the ability to provide as much output as it once did. That will cause the system to start having to operate for longer and longer to achieve the same results, which will in turn lead to an increase in operating costs. If you start to notice your electric bills steadily rising over several months while you’re using your air conditioner, it may be time to replace it.
Repairs
Normally, an air conditioning system won’t need repairs more than once or twice a year at most. In older systems, however, the wear and tear of years of use can cause various parts of the system to fail in rapid succession. This can result in having to repair your air conditioner every few months. If that happens, it’s time for a new air conditioner.
If you need a new air conditioner, call Saddleback Plumbing. We install new air conditioners throughout Orange County, CA.