How to Know When You Need a New AC Unit, Not Just an AC Repair‍

Are you sweating through every hot and humid summer day? Is your home just not feeling like home thanks to that constant blast of heat? If so, it’s probably time for a new AC unit. Aging appliances are prone to problems and regular maintenance can only get them so far. Your AC is no exception. When your central air conditioning unit begins to break down, ac repair in San Antonio won’t cut it. Instead, you need a professional-grade replacement system with the potential for many years of reliable service in front of it. See if any of these tell-tale signs indicate the time has come for a new air conditioner and not just an air conditioning repair:

The repairs are getting more expensive than the unit is worth.

Air condition repair San Antonio is expensive, no matter what. The service call fees alone can run you several hundred dollars. Add to that the price of the parts and the labor needed to replace them and it’s easy to see how a $300 repair job can turn into a $5,000 investment in your home. Because of this, it’s a good idea to evaluate your current air conditioner’s financial worth the next time you have it repaired. Ask the contractor to give you a written estimate of both the repair costs and the life expectancy of the part(s) being replaced. That way, you’ll be able to compare the two and see how much longer it will be until the cost of repairs exceeds the value of the unit itself. At that point, it might be time for a new AC system.

Freon is continually leaking from your unit.

If you’ve had your ac maintenance San Antonio within the past year, you may have the unfortunate experience of having a contractor confirm a leak in your unit’s freon line. That’s because the majority of AC units were manufactured with a rubber or synthetic rubber-blend gasket. Over time, these gaskets dry out and crack, allowing all that precious freon to leak out. Furthermore, as the unit ages, the gaskets are more likely to crack and leak even with normal usage. In fact, a professional air conditioning contractor will check for leaks during regular maintenance. When you’ve had your unit serviced and a freon leak was found, you have two options: repair the leak or replace the unit. If the repair costs are more than the value of the system itself, it’s time to replace the unit.

You’re constantly having to repair the same part(s).

Regular parts replacement is normal when you’re working with older appliances like your central air conditioning unit. However, if the same part is constantly needing repair, it’s a sign it has reached the end of its serviceable life. The most common parts to require repairs are the same ones that always break down: the capacitors, start/run capacitors, and the compressor. If you’ve had to replace any of these parts several times in the past few years and they continue to fail, it’s a sure sign you need a new air conditioning unit.

Your A/C is over 10 years old.

Some people put off the purchase of a new system because they believe the old one has plenty of life left in it. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. People sometimes buy a system when they move into a new home or when their old one dies. Then, they don’t get around to having it inspected every year as recommended. As a result, the system isn’t operating at its peak efficiency. That means it isn’t removing humidity from your home as efficiently as it should be. Over time, the system’s components will wear out. In the case of the AC itself, the average lifespan is 14 years. The parts that break down first are the electrical components. If any of those are more than 10 years old, it’s probably time for a new AC unit.

Your home doesn’t feel cool anymore (even when it’s on!).

How’s your home’s thermostat set? If you constantly have it cranked up to 80 or 90 degrees, you’re not going to get peak performance out of your AC system. When you have your AC set to run at an extremely high temperature, it keeps cycling on and off, trying to maintain a temperature that’s just not realistic. In addition to wasting energy, frequent cycling can cause damage to the system. This is especially true of older systems that aren’t capable of performing at such high temperatures. When your AC isn’t able to keep up, it can become less efficient. That means you will have to work harder to remove humidity from your home. It will also cycle on and off more frequently as it struggles to maintain a comfortable temperature.

Conclusion

When your AC is struggling to keep up with the temperature inside your home, it’s time for a new air conditioning unit. If you’re experiencing any of the above signs, contact All Service heating and air conditioning for help with selecting and installing a new unit. The last thing you want to do is continually put money into an old system. Eventually, it will fail and you will have to replace it anyway. Why not consider a new unit while your system is being serviced? And now that you know how to tell when you need a new AC unit, make sure you keep it running smoothly with regular maintenance.