It’s officially Fall! With that, it’s almost time to turn off our air conditioners for the season and turn our attention to our heaters. But, what if the cooling system you used all summer wasn’t up to the task of efficiently keeping you cool? What if you found yourself calling for air conditioning repair more than once this season?
The last thing you want is to be without your air conditioner next spring, or even without it if we have a heatwave between now and then. Your air conditioner repair needs may be a sign that it’s time to replace the system, particularly if it’s aging. Read on to learn more!
Is Your AC Costing You More to Operate Each Month?
As your air conditioner approaches old age (10-15 years old), it begins to gradually lose its efficiency as the components in it wear down. At first, this efficiency loss may not be that noticeable. Eventually, however, it will wind up being so severe that the cooling system will have to operate for longer period of time in order to compensate.
This longer operating time drives up the monthly costs of using your system. If your air conditioner is costing you much more to use per month than it has in the past, or much more than your immediate neighbors are paying for similar use, it could definitely be a sign that your system can’t operate as efficiently as it once did, and is a candidate for replacement.
How Often Are You Calling for Repairs?
As we mentioned above, if you’re constantly calling for repairs, it can be a sign that what you actually need is a replacement. Now, needing a repair every once in a while isn’t a big deal. In fact, it’s expected that every few years or so you’ll need something in the system fixed, even when you keep up on regular preventive maintenance. However, if your air conditioner needs to be repaired multiple times a year, it’s time to talk to a pro about possibly getting a new one.
This level of frequency in AC breakdowns is usually due to the system succumbing to years of natural wear and tear. The various components within it begin to fail in groups, which causes the frequency and cost of repairs to increase. Continuing to repair your system once it reaches this point is just going to cause you to waste too much money. You’ll likely need to replace it very soon anyway, and it’s better to do it now so you don’t have to worry about it when it comes time to use it next year!
Your AC System Is Over 15 Years Old
Even assuming that you keep up on your preventive maintenance each year, and call for repairs as soon as you notice a problem, you can’t expect your air conditioner to last forever. Eventually, the system gets old enough that it just isn’t worth keeping around anymore.
The average lifespan for a well-maintained cooling system, as we alluded to above, is 10-15 years. After this point, they’ll begin to accumulate a host of chronic issues that makes it increasingly expensive to keep it up and running. If your air conditioner is over 15 years old, you should definitely talk to one of our pros about a potential upgrade.
At Comfort Incorporated, we keep your family safe, healthy and comfortable–call today, service today!
