It can be difficult to decide whether repairing or replacing your air conditioner is the best move for your home. Here are some signs that it’s time to stop paying the repairman and invest in a new, more efficient system for your home this summer:
- Age: Air conditioners start to drastically decrease in efficiency after about 10 years of operation. If your unit is a decade old or more, consider the high efficiency and convenient features of a new, Energy Star-certified air conditioner.
- Frequency of repairs: If you’ve already paid for a repair or two in the last couple of years, and you’re facing another substantial repair, it could mean that your air conditioner is on its last leg. That means it’s in your best interest to invest in a new A/C instead of paying for another repair.
- Energy bills: If you look back at your energy bills from the past few years and see a significant increase in cooling costs over the last season or two, the increase in electricity costs might not be the only reason. Chances are your old air conditioner is simply dropping in efficiency and costing you more to operate.
- Comfort: Some rooms may be difficult to keep cool when you have an older air conditioner. Duct problems or inadequate insulation could also come into play, issues that a technician can inspect when installing a new A/C.
- Humidity: A major function of air conditioners is to dehumidify the air. If your home has been feeling cool but clammy lately, the equipment may be operating poorly. This could indicate that it’s time to replace it.
- Noise: Strange new noises coming from your cooling equipment shouldn’t be ignored. Your A/C could be telling you that it’s on its way out if it begins making a racket.
If you’re still debating about paying for a repair or replacement, please contact Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. Our 37 years of experience in the Twin Cities metro area means you can trust our advice about your cooling system.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air conditioners and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning services Minnesota’s Twin Cities. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!