Signs That It’s Time to Replace Your Air Conditioner
October 04, 2023
Air conditioning systems are designed to last for years, providing cooling and humidity control for your home with a simple change of the thermostat. Although air conditioning systems are quite durable, all air conditioners are subject to wear and tear over time and will eventually require replacement. The typical lifespan of an air conditioning system is 10-15 years, but your system may last for more or less time than this average estimate. While many cooling problems are simply a sign that repair is needed, some issues are more indicative that your air conditioner is reaching the end of its lifetime and your home could benefit more from replacement than repair. Your Florida A/C professional can help you make the right choice when it comes to solving your home cooling problems and replacing your air conditioning system.
Home Comfort Problems Aren’t New
A home comfort problem that arises over a short period of time is indicative that your air conditioner needs repairs. However, if your home has never felt truly comfortable or you’ve always struggled to find a balance between the setting on your thermostat and your utility bills, it’s a sure sign that your home may benefit from a new air conditioning system altogether. Oftentimes, air conditioning systems aren’t sized properly for a home; over time, this sizing issue causes ongoing comfort problems and a general lack of efficiency that has nothing to do with the state of repair of the air conditioner itself. Talking to your home cooling service can help you determine whether your air conditioner is sized properly for your home and can meet your cooling needs. If it isn’t, you may want to discuss A/C replacement to enjoy greater home comfort at significantly lower long-term cost.
Your Energy Bills Are Growing
Although you can expect your energy bills to fluctuate throughout the year, a steady increase in energy costs is often due to a struggling air conditioner. Air conditioning is one of the top home energy drains—thus, if your air conditioner is losing efficiency, it will drastically affect your energy usage and your bills each month. While most air conditioner efficiency issues can be addressed with regular maintenance, age is the next most likely cause of a performance drop if maintenance hasn’t been neglected. Your A/C service can assess your air conditioner’s efficiency to tell you whether maintenance or replacement is the best solution to your high energy bills.
Your Air Conditioner Is Old
While an advanced age doesn’t necessarily mean your air conditioner is failing, it can be a good indication that you should consider replacement over repair the next time you do experience a major cooling problem. The older your air conditioner becomes, the more likely its systems are to begin failing in succession, building up repair bills over a relatively short period of time. If your air conditioner is more than ten years old, it’s already reached the minimum lifespan it can be expected to serve your home. Talk to your A/C repair service about the trade-offs of replacing the system versus repairing it, especially if you’ve had several cooling problems over the past few months or years.
Your A/C service is your best source of information when you need to know whether it’s time to replace your air conditioner. Please check out our website for more information about our Jacksonville air conditioning services, including repairs and replacement to improve your home’s comfort and efficiency. You can also learn more about your home’s cooling system in the articles on our blog.