It’s a good question to know the answer to. After all, replacement isn’t cheap. You’ll want to make sure that your AC at least shows the warning signs of needing replacement before letting an HVAC company tell you: “Yes, of course, you need replacement!”
Below are three questions to ask yourself to see if your AC needs to be replaced. If you can answer “Yes” to even one of them, then there’s a high possibility you need replacement. Regardless, you’ll still want a trustworthy HVAC technician in Snellville, GA to take a look at your system—in person, not over the phone—to give you a definite answer.
Is your system over 10 years old?
Age alone is not a guaranteed reason for replacement. The average lifespan of an air conditioner is between 10 and 15 years, and some air conditioners have been known to last longer. Of course, that depends on how well the system was maintained and treated over the years.
Regardless of how well your AC has been maintained, it’s generally recommended that you should begin considering replacement at the 10-year mark. This will give you enough time to do research on a new unit, as well as to observe the behavior of your current system.
Older air conditioners have much lower efficiency ratings than newer models. In this case, replacement can significantly boost your monthly savings on energy bills.
Is it costing you more than before?
As your AC ages, it simply won’t be able to perform at the same level of efficiency as it used to. This will directly affect how much money you have to spend to maintain it. It helps to think of it in the same way you would a car. Even with frequent and consistent maintenance, a car with 250,000 miles on it is risky and won’t be on the road for much longer.
You might see it reflected in the energy bill, and you also might see it in the form of increased repair calls. At a certain point, replacement is going to be the most economical choice.
Does the unit turn on and off quickly while failing to cool your home?
This question describes the problem known as “short-cycling.” Your AC keeps your home cool throughout the day by going through a number of cooling cycles. Each cycle disperses enough cool air through the home that it can then shut off, save energy, and then do it all over again when the home starts to warm up.
Short-cycling occurs, however, when this process happens repeatedly in a short amount of time. One common reason for it is that your AC is simply too powerful for your home. It happens more often than you would think, too. If your AC was sized by “rule of thumb” values and estimates instead of load calculations and other factors, it’s possible that your AC installation was done incorrectly.
Unfortunately, the only way to remedy this problem is through replacement. Not all short-cycling is caused by oversized units, however, so make sure to rule out other possibilities.
Is it time for AC replacement? We’ll help you find out. Contact Snellville Heating, Air and Plumbing today. Your comfort is OUR business.
