At some point in running an air conditioning unit at home, a decision has to be made whether the unit will be repaired or replaced with a new one. A tough decision to make considering that an air conditioner is really helpful in adding comfort to the house but quite expensive too.

When you start experiencing problems with your AC unit, the initial solution is to have it serviced and keep repairing it whenever it malfunctions.

However, there are times when an air conditioning unit will cost you more to be constantly repaired than to buy a replacement. So deciding the outcome of your air conditioner will totally come down to whether it is more expensive to repair or upgrade.

2Cool Refrigeration and Air Conditioning is dedicated to providing the best solutions to help our clients with their air conditioning concerns. Here we listed points to help you decide if your air conditioner will do with a repair or if it actually needs replacement. Starting off with the question…

How old is your air conditioning unit?

As the old saying goes, “Nothing is permanent”.

Although most air conditioners are built to last long, they usually have a ten to fifteen years limit of continuous service to households. You can tell if your AC will survive with getting repaired or if it has to go with how long it has been working for you.

If your AC is not more than 10 years in your possession it will more likely get fixed

Air conditioning units installed for not more than 10 years have a good chance of getting fixed with the help of experienced tradesmen. Getting a replacement for a less than 10 years old AC could not be a very wise decision as with most cases, having it repaired will do the trick, not to mention that getting a new unit is expensive compared to the price of repair service.

What are the red flags to look for?

As an air conditioner hits 10 years of usage and up, it will start to require frequent repair and maintenance. For this reason, it will be up to your judgment whether it will still be worth it, to pay for constant repair services or to buy a new one.
How do you decide?

10 years after its installment, your air conditioner will most likely malfunctions more often, even with good maintenance. If the need for repair service becomes frequent, it might be more costly than investing in a new one. So in the long run, it is better to get it replaced.

Is your AC an old model?

Rumours have it that an old model air conditioner can last for more than 30 years. If we are to give our thoughts on that, it’s probably no less than a rumour. In fact, maintaining an old model AC might even be more expensive than buying a modern unit. Here’s why…

Some parts are hard to find or even phased out

One challenge in maintaining old model ACs is that when there is a need to replace some parts in the unit, finding them in the market will prove to be difficult. As most factories had stopped manufacturing parts for old air conditioners, there is a limited chance to find a replacement for damaged components. If you ever find a store that sells what you are looking for, it will just be disappointing to know that it costs so much nowadays as the supplies are limited.

It consumes more energy

It is given that the older the air conditioner, the lesser it performs. Thus, if you want to get maximum performance from an old air conditioning unit, you will have to raise the controls. However, doing so will cause more energy consumption that will reflect on your electricity bills.

Another thing that most homeowners overlook when the repair of their old air conditioning unit is done successfully is that it may consume more electricity after the repair.

Why is this so?

Altering the original components will change the performance of the unit. This includes the amount of energy needed to make it run efficiently.

So should you buy a new one instead?

Modern air conditioners have features for energy saving and are more environmentally-friendly to go with. This makes it wiser to invest in a new one that keeps on paying for frequent AC repairs.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, you, as a homeowner will have the last say with the air conditioner you have. But if you need assistance with repair or installation of your new air conditioning units, do just give us a call at 0430 814 516.