The most important maintenance task to ensure the efficiency of your air conditioner is to replace or clean your filters on a regular basis. Dirty, clogged filters can reduce the amount of air flow and significantly decrease system efficiency. In addition, when air flow is obstructed, dirt can bypass the filter and deposit directly on the evaporator coil, which impairs the heat absorption capacity of the coil. Replacing a dirty, clogged filter with a clean one can reduce air conditioner energy consumption by 5% to 15%.The typical life expectancy of an air conditioner is 10 to 15 years.
If it's well maintained and serviced at least once a year, your unit can keep working well for longer. If your air conditioner is less than 10 years old, well maintained, and hasn't experienced any major faults, it may be best to repair the unit. Most heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system repairs are excessive even for the most experienced DIYers, but there are some simple repairs or replacements you can do yourself. If your energy bills are still rising, but your electric company's rates are unchanged, then it might be time to repair your air conditioner instead of replacing it. So when your air conditioning unit stops working, what should you do? Pay to have it repaired? Or replace it all together? If you have a relatively new air conditioner, unless the cost of repairs is thousands of dollars, it rarely makes financial sense to replace it with a new one.
A good rule of thumb is that if you're going to be living in your house for the next 10 years, you should replace the air conditioning unit. If it's going to take less than 10 years, it may be more cost-effective to repair it. Air conditioner repair can be expensive, especially if major parts break, but having a working air conditioner is essential for keeping your home comfortable in hot weather. Professional air conditioning technicians can thoroughly inspect your system to determine what maintenance is needed and repair any problems that may arise. As your air conditioning unit reaches the end of its life, consider whether it's more expensive to repair or replace major components or to buy a new unit.
If you've called an accredited air conditioning contractor to evaluate your air conditioning unit, then you'll need to weigh the cost of any repair against the age and energy efficiency of the unit. An important factor to consider when deciding whether to repair or replace your current air conditioning unit is your comfort level. The type of air conditioning system and the part being repaired or replaced are the main determinants of cost, but other factors may come into play as well. The team of professionals at Legacy Air can provide you with an informed opinion on the subject and help you understand the costs and benefits associated with repairing or replacing your air conditioning unit.
