Count the cost, both present and future
An air conditioner is a sizable investment, and every home and business owner wants to get as much use out of that investment as possible. Still, if your air conditioner wastes energy or needs frequent repairs, you might end up spending more money to keep it running than you would to start fresh with a new unit. You’ll need to carefully consider several factors to make an informed decision about replacing your air conditioner.
First of all, remember that air conditioners are generally designed to last eight to 10 years. If you’ve had yours for the better part of a decade, it’s probably getting old enough that it needs to be replaced anyway. Certain other circumstances, though, might make it necessary to replace your unit even before you’ve had it that long.
If your air conditioner is more than a few years old when it suffers a significant maintenance issue, it may be in your interest to just replace it instead of having the problem repaired. For any replacement project, we’ll help you perform a payback analysis to see how long your new unit will take to pay for itself. For instance, an air conditioner unit that saves you an average of $25 monthly in reduced energy costs will take about four years to pay for itself.
When there’s a repair needed for your current air conditioner, subtract the cost of repairs from the cost of the new unit in the payback analysis. For instance, if your existing unit needs a $300 repair, you’re only spending an additional $200 to upgrade to a new air conditioner. The new unit would pay off that cost in just eight months, a very good investment. Note that rebates from local governments and energy companies can make that deal even better.
If you do decide to replace one unit of your air conditioner, it’s almost always best to replace the whole thing. Indoor units and outdoor units are designed to work in concert as matched systems; you can run a mismatched system if you really want, but you’ll waste electricity and put extra wear and tear on both units. Unless your system is brand-new, it’s a much better long-term investment to replace both the indoor and outdoor unit at the same time.
Making the choice to replace your air conditioner can be tough, but we at ABC Home & Commercial Services are here to help you make an informed decision. We’ll show you the benefits and drawbacks of both repair and replacement options, and our specialists will get the job done no matter which you choose. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.