AC Repair vs. AC Replacement – When is the Right Time to Call?

Since air conditioners break down more frequently, homeowners are faced with the dilemma of whether to replace or repair their current units. This decision may be easier to make for homeowners who have no problem financing a new AC unit. Such a homeowner may just be interested in knowing whether replacing the AC unit is more practical and if they can save more on electricity bills by installing a newer model.

For homeowners who have financial constraints, the dilemma may be a bit more, especially when there was no plan in the homeowner’s budget to buy a new air conditioner. The good thing is that there are HVAC contractors that offer payment schemes that are flexible so that homeowners can replace their malfunctioning AC units.

This information is presented by our team at Sugar Land AC and Heating. If you require more information about AC and heating then be sure to visit our website or give us a call!

Benefits of AC Replacement

• Huge Cost Saving: If your AC unit is over ten years old, and the cost of repair is close to 50%, upgrading to a newer and more efficient system can save you a great amount of energy. Having an upgrade could save you between 20-40% on cooling and heating costs, depending on the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). You can visit hvacopcost.com that can help you to calculate potential savings.
• Warranty – When you buy a new air conditioning unit, it comes with a warranty, and should any issue come up, the warranty will save you some money on repair costs.
• Air Quality and Comfort: When it comes to temperature and humidity control, new air conditioning units do a better job. This helps to reduce the growth of mold and mildew, thereby improving the air quality and comfort in your home.
• Environmental friendliness: In an effort to protect the ozone layer, it was mandated by the U.S. Government and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that the R-22 refrigerant be phased out by 2020. In addition to helping the environment, an upgrade to an R-410A unit also helps to save you from the high costs of repairing an older air conditioning unit, especially as the R-22 is being phased out each year.
• Tax Benefits: As you already know that you can save money on electricity bills that could add up over the lifetime of your new AC unit. In addition to this, with newer and high-efficiency systems, you could yourself up to 30% tax credits and incentives. In choosing between repair and replacement, energy-saving units might be your best option.
• Convenience –With new AC units, you no longer have to wait around for repair services in an uncomfortable home. Also, you won’t have to worry about the stress of searching for the hard-to-find parts of your old AC unit.

When to Choose Repair Over Replacement

The following are how to tell if repair, rather than replacement, is the right way to go:

• Newer AC unit: If the system is new or relatively new, repair, rather than replacement, is likely to make the most financial sense.
• Relocation: If you have plans to move out of your current house any time soon and your AC unit is still functioning properly, contact a professional to determine whether it would be better to repair or replace the unit.
• Maintenance Techniques: If your AC unit is neither old nor new, there are a few simple maintenance techniques that may help extend its lifespan and make it unnecessary to immediately replace it. Contact your technician to know if there’s anything of such that you can do to gain more miles out of your AC unit.
• The 50% Rule: If you’ve had no reason to continuously service your unit every month, and the cost of repair is less than 50% of the unit, then repair may be a better option for you.

Indicators that it may be time to call your HVAC technician:

• Aging: The Environmental Protection Agency recommends that AC units older than ten years, and boilers or furnaces older than fifteen years be replaced. While these units can still last some years longer, their efficiency will keep reducing over time, and ultimately cost you more on energy bills.
• Frequent Breakdowns: If the performance of your system proves to be unimpressive during the coldest and the hottest times of the year, or has broken down more frequently in the last few months, you may want to have a rethink on continued repairs. You are likely to be better off investing in a new AC unit as the cost of frequently repairing it can add up substantially over time.
• Noise: Your air conditioning unit can become excessively noisy or turn off randomly if it has to do so much work to keep up with the demands of cooling and heating your home. To keep this from happening and to help the system to maintain its optimum performance, you need to establish a regular maintenance schedule. Annual professional maintenance will help to prevent issues before they come up.
• Uneven Temperatures: Another indicator that it’s time to call a technician is if the temperatures that the system is producing are uneven. It shows a possible need to upgrade the system.

Additional Factors Can Also Influence Your Decision

The HVAC industry keeps coming up with new technologies like smart thermostats, variable speed fans, and system self-diagnostics that make AC units more energy-efficient than ever before. The new developments within the HVAC industry can also influence your decision to repair or replace your air conditioning unit. Although some of these new technologies can be worked into your existing air conditioning unit, replacing the whole unit gives you the benefit of enjoying these innovative technologies.

One of the recent developments in the industry is the environmentally friendlier refrigerant, R-410a which is to replace the old R-22 refrigerant. As the supply of R-22 refrigerant continues to decrease in the coming years, charging older AC units with the now-phased-out refrigerant will become more expensive. Right now, a lot of the newer AC units now run exclusively on R-410a.

When you consider these issues, you can make a more informed decision to either make plans to replace your AC unit with a newer one or hold on to the one you have now.

Contact an HVAC Contractor ASAP!

Should you decide to repair your AC unit, contact an HVAC contractor and they will help you with the process. In the case of replacement, you need to set an appointment with a residential sales professional to come and perform a load calculation. After this is done, you can then weigh your options.