As the old saying goes: Everything must come to an end. While this can come off as a pretty grim sounding remark, it applies to most things. Even ones air conditioning system. Every once in a while, all homeowners have to face the task of AC replacement, whether they like it or not. Luckily for them, there is an abundance of outstanding businesses who offer reliable AC services in Miami, just like Chills, and there are also a lot of reputable air conditioning companies which offer high-quality HVAC appliances for homeowners.
In this article, we are going to talk about AC System Replacement, more specifically, we are going to cover when you should consider replacing your existing old system with a new one.
Sometimes, it’s just a better deal
Let’s say, you’ve been told, that the recent damage your AC system suffered is fixable. You grab your phone, call a technician. You describe the problem and the technician already suspect what the problem is, and says an estimate repair cost. That’s the moment when you are left speechless. Sometimes, when you opt to get the broken down system repaired, you actually end up paying more, than when you decide to just simply replace it. The damage may be so severe, that you are better off throwing out your current AC and getting a new one. Or, the case may be, that your AC is just simply too old.
The age of your current system
The age of your HVAC system plays a critical factor in the decision to repair or replace. Most technicians use the 5,000 rule to determine whether to follow through with repairing the AC unit, or if it needs replacing.
The 5,000 rule is simple. You take the age of the equipment and multiply it by the repair cost. If that number exceeds 5,000 dollars, considering replacement is the best option. For example, a 10-year old unit with a 350 dollar repair equals 3,500.
Energy efficiency
If your current unit is more than 10 years old, you should really consider replacement since today’s systems have greatly improved when it comes to energy efficiency. Many technicians say the typically recommend unit replacement if they are 15 years or older. Others say an average lifespan of an AC unit is about 14 years.
R-22 can also play a role
If your unit requires additional refrigerant, you are facing the problem of a coolant leak. Topping of a system with R-22 (known as Freon), can cost as much as 40 dollars to more than 175 per pound. Depending on the amount of refrigerant needed to fix the problem, you might end up paying somewhere between 550 to 1000 dollars. Not to mention, most techs advise replacing the whole system once leakage is developed since the units compressor will break down eventually, which also costs up to 2000 dollars to fix. In the end, when you take everything into consideration, the costs of the refrigerant replacement and the compressor fix, you realize that it costs about the same as buying a new, low-end unit.
Other factors
Aside from age and other before mentioned signs, you should also consider how often you have to make repairs, whether your energy bills are rising or if your home is too hot in the summer. When it’s hot in the summer, your bills are high, and you when your AC technicians number is on speed dial, you are probably better off replacing your current AC system.
A new, energy-efficient unit costs somewhere between 3,600 and 7,200 dollars, but, according to Energy Star, they bring on an estimate of 20 percent savings on heating and cooling costs.
As you can see, sometimes, replacing you existing unit is the better option. If you are facing such problems, don’t hesitate to give us a call, we have the solution you need!
