How to Know It's Time to Replace Your Air Conditioner
If we had to rank our home appliances in terms of durability, we can be sure that our air conditioner will always be at the top of that list.
Despite practically non-stop use, AC units can soldier on for years, as long as their owners are never remiss in maintaining them regularly.
However, since an AC unit is a machine, it will likely break down at some point and need repairs, regular maintenance notwithstanding.
Still, there will come a time when your air conditioner will need replacement, not repair.
Here are some unmistakable signs your air conditioner is up for an upgrade.
Your AC Is More Than A Decade Old
It’s not uncommon for AC manufacturers to design their products to last for 15 to 20 years with proper and regular maintenance. Some even claim they make AC units with a potential lifespan of up to a quarter of a century.
However, signs of wear and tear tend to start popping up by the time an AC unit enters its 10th year of frequent use.
While a well-maintained, 10-year-old air conditioner will undoubtedly continue doing its job, its many years of service will have already taken their toll on it and will likely act up and break down more frequently than before.
Costly Constant Repairs
The thing with more frequent breakdowns is that it will require constant repairs, which don’t come cheap.
While it’s understandable to try to salvage an air conditioner that has served you well for years, you should always take the cost of the frequent repairs into consideration.
With the frequent repairs, it’s entirely possible that their costs won’t be far off from buying and installing a new AC unit.
So, if constantly repairing your old AC unit has the potential to be just as costly as buying a new air conditioner, you might as well go for the latter, which brings plenty of benefits, including improved AC unit efficiency.
Exceptionally High Energy Bills
While we’re on the subject of efficiency, let’s recognize that air conditioners are energy guzzlers by nature, as six percent of an average U.S. household’s energy use goes to cooling.
However, if your energy bills over the last few months border on the scandalous, and your local utility provider hasn’t implemented a rate increase, there is a very high probability that it’s your old AC unit causing the spike.
After years of virtually non-stop use, an old air conditioner tends to suffer a dip in efficiency with all the hard work it’s been doing for years.
Then again, it probably wasn’t that efficient in the first place, like most aging AC units are.
The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of older air conditioners is lower compared to new AC units. The lower the SEER rating, the less efficient an air conditioning unit is.
If you’re going to replace your old AC with a new one, the U.S. Department of Energy recommends an air conditioner with a SEER rating of at least 15. If you can go higher, that would be great, too.
You’ve Had Major Additions To Your Home
Did reliable professionals install your existing AC system all those years ago?
If so, then it’s probably safe to assume that they carefully calculated your home’s cooling needs before recommending the right air conditioning unit size that will serve those requirements best.
This process is called right-sizing, which makes sure that the AC unit won’t be too small or too big for a given space. With right-sizing, you’ll have the perfect AC unit for your house.
However, if you made renovations in the succeeding years that added square footage your trusted AC technicians didn’t factor in the first time around, cooling issues may have already surfaced by now.
If you noticed that your home hasn’t been feeling that cool since your home renovation or that some spots in the house don’t cool at all, it’s likely because your existing AC system has already become too small for your home.
Aside from failing to make your home cool enough to your liking, undersized AC units also lead to higher energy bills, as it has to work harder to compensate. Worse, all that hard work can shorten your AC unit’s lifespan.
If your home has gotten bigger, it’s probably time to purchase a new AC unit that is properly sized for it.
Your AC Uses Freon As Refrigerant
For decades, most air conditioners have been using R-22, a colorless gas also known as HCFC-22 or Freon, as a refrigerant.
The problem is, Freon has been found to be a significant contributor to the depletion of the ozone layer. A gradual phaseout has since been implemented, in keeping with the Clean Air Act.
As of January 1, 2020, the production and importation of Freon are already banned.
If you purchased your current AC system before 2010, it’s highly likely that it uses Freon, which means you are directly affected by the ban on the refrigerant.
With the ban, the supply of Freon will dwindle, and the only available stock of R-22 that you can legally replenish your AC with would be reclaimed and previously produced quantities of the gas.
It goes without saying that the price of Freon--even recycled quantities--will likely skyrocket as the supply of the refrigerant will continue dwindling.
Also, if you continue using your Freon-powered air conditioner, the risk of a refrigerant leak will still be present. You don’t want to end up contributing significantly to the depletion of the ozone layer, do you?
With the Freon situation, it would be more practical to purchase a new AC unit, which uses refrigerants deemed to be less damaging to the ozone layer.
Conclusion
Replacing an air conditioner that still seems to be functioning well can prove to be difficult.
However, given the issues mentioned above, the least you can do is contact trusted HVAC professionals and discuss the possibility of upgrading your air conditioning systems and the benefits of doing it.
META DESCRIPTION: Find out the signs that you already need to replace your current air conditioning system.
About the Author
Rachel Watson is the Senior Content Editor of New AC Unit. Aside from heading the company's content marketing strategies, she writes articles about how to stay fit and energy-efficient home living.
