Summer is officially here in Portland, OR, and that means your air conditioning system needs to be ready to keep your home comfortable when the heat and humidity rise to sweltering levels. If your system is exhibiting signs of trouble, now may be the right time to get it replaced with a new model. But how can you tell if that time has come? You certainly don’t want to get rid of your old air conditioner if it’s still doing the job, and a replacement can be costly enough that hoping your system is still functional may trump the reality that it really does need to go. Here’s a few guidelines to help you decide whether to keep or replace your existing air conditioner:
How High Are Your Monthly Bills?
Like most appliances, air conditioners get less effective as they age, and wear and tear takes its toll. You’ll notice this with a gradual uptick of your monthly energy bills, since older air conditioners use more energy than newer ones. If the bills haven’t gotten higher than you’re comfortable with, a new system could provide some seriously relief for your monthly budget. If, on the other hand, your existing system still keeps costs in check, it could probably keep running for a few more years.
How Frequent Are the Repairs?
As with the monthly bills, high repair costs are a good sign that the time has come to replace your air conditioner. If you’re dealing with repair bills frequently, or even if you just have one bill that’s larger than your system is worth, that’s a good reason to install a newer and more reliable system. If your old air conditioner is still running problem-free, you could probably do better to wait.
How Old Is the System?
In and of itself, an older air conditioner doesn’t merit replacement, especially if you’ve kept it maintained over the years and it’s still running smoothly. But when other problems crop up, like higher bills and an increased frequency of repairs, the age of your system may prove to be the determining factor in getting a new one. If your warranty has expired and/or your air conditioner is more than a decade old, you may want to think about replacing rather than repairing if any issues crop up.
For installation questions, contact the experts at Clean Air Act today!