Summer is progressing right along, with homeowners using their air conditioners pretty consistently. Did you know this is the time of year that air conditioners are most likely to break down? At least, this is the case if you tend to skip your annual maintenance appointments and/or your system is aging.
Of course, this is the last thing you want to deal with, right? If you have an aging system or an air conditioner that’s been experiencing trouble, it may be time to consider upgrading to a newer and more efficient system. But how do you know for sure when it’s time? Read on!
Your AC Costs Too Much to Run
As your cooling system ages, it gradually starts losing efficiency as a natural part of wear and tear. This efficiency loss isn’t immediately noticeable. But eventually it accumulates to the point that your cooling system has to run longer and essentially work harder to do its job.
This longer run time will of course mean you’re using more energy, so your utility bills will rise. If you’ve noticed your AC system is costing more and more to use despite comparable use to the year before, it could mean that you’re ready for an upgrade.
The System Constantly Needs Repair
Needing a repair here or there for your air conditioner isn’t a big deal. In fact, due to wear and tear you can pretty much expect that you’ll need small repairs and component replacements every couple of years or so. If you find yourself constantly calling for repairs throughout the year, however, there’s a problem.
This level of frequency in operational problems is likely due to the system succumbing to old age and years of use. The various components within it will begin failing in groups, causing the frequency and cost of your repairs to rise dramatically. Continuing to repair the system once it reaches this point is going to waste money.
Your System Is Over 15 Years Old
Even assuming that you’re diligent about maintenance, scheduling it once a year for your air conditioning system, no air conditioner can last forever. Eventually, your AC system will age to the point that it’s just not worth keeping around anymore.
The average lifespan for a well-maintained cooling system is about 10–15 years. After this point, your system will start accumulating chronic issues that will just cause it to work inefficiently and cost you more to run than you should be paying.
A good rule of thumb to go by here is if you have an aging system that’s required a lot of repairs and is working inefficiently, consider the costs of these repairs. If your repair costs for the year exceed half of what your system is worth as a whole, it probably makes the most financial sense to replace it now and start saving on your monthly costs to boot!
Please don’t hesitate to contact our team to learn about your AC system and installation options!
For quality Salem, OR air conditioning service, contact Comfort Flow Heating today!
