Repair vs Replace: Should You Keep Your Old AC Alive?

It’s About Time

So your air conditioning system is giving you grief. When it seems like your AC is causing more trouble than it’s worth, it’s easy to wonder whether you should have it repaired or just put the damn thing out of its (and your) misery for good!

The cost of replacing an AC system is not cheap (although we do have some great Specials and Financing plans to help you offset the cost). How much money you have to put into it could make the difference between deciding to constantly repair a problematic unit or just have it replaced altogether. There’s also the issue to consider of whether your AC system has lost its efficiency and is costing you more to keep it running.

As much as we want to sell you a new AC system, we also want you to make educated decisions. We also don’t want to sell you a new AC system if you don’t actually need one. So to help keep you informed about whether it’s time to repair vs replace your air conditioner, here are some things you should know:

Prepare to Repair

If your AC system is new or relatively new (hasn’t even turned 5 yet), it may be in your best interest to have it repaired, not replaced. If the cost of repairing it is less than 50% of replacing it, you’re better off getting it fixed. But always get a second opinion! By the way (shameless plug), we offer 2nd opinions for free!

If you get an estimate on a repair or replacement, we’ll give you a 2nd estimate at no cost to you! It’s smart to get a second (and even third) opinion before you decide to have your system repaired vs replaced. Even if the first opinion came from us! We’ve proven ourselves time and again to be an honest and trustworthy company. But we want you to make educated decisions. And we always encourage people to consider their options.

A second opinion is important because there could be instances where your AC unit just needs something as simple as a tune-up.

Second opinions are especially useful if somebody is trying to sell you a new air conditioner you don’t need! We also want to add that if your current AC unit is still under warranty, you might want to repair vs replace.

The Case for Replace

When deciding whether to buy a new car or not, people look at the value of their cars vs how much their current vehicle is costing them now. The same principle applies to air conditioning systems. If you find yourself constantly calling a technician to fix your AC system, you’re probably better off having it replaced.

If your AC system is more than 10 years old and repair costs are more than half of its value, then sadly it’s time to put “Old Yeller” down. Upgrading to a newer AC unit may not be cheap. But you will make that money back and then some in energy savings!

Newer AC systems have higher Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratios (SEERs), which could save you 20% to 40% on heating and cooling costs.

We mentioned the warranty earlier, and that’s something to consider too when thinking about repair vs replace. If your current unit is past its warranty, you should consider having it replaced. A new unit will come with a warranty, so if anything goes wrong, you’ll be covered for a long time.

But Wait There’s More!

There are also tax incentives that come with getting a new air conditioning unit. You could save up to 30% of the cost of newer, high-efficiency systems. For example, if your new air conditioning system carries the Energy Star label, you may qualify for such tax incentives, which can be found here.

And then there’s the refrigerant thing! If your air conditioner is of a certain age, it might still run on R-22 refrigerant. R-22 is considered obsolete and will be phased out by 2020. Newer air conditioners are manufactured to run on R-410A. This type of refrigerant is not only better for the environment, but also helps you avoid the high costs of repairing an older system that runs on R-22.

The US government and the Environmental Protection Agency are going to enforce the extinction of R-22 refrigerant. So as the demand decreases, the supply will too. If your AC system runs on R-22, you will have to replace it very soon anyway!

One More Thing

Finally there is comfort and quality to consider. We are, after all, Trane Comfort Specialists, so we know a thing or two about comfort! Newer AC systems are manufactured for maximum comfort, air quality and efficiency. So if your old AC is not performing like it used to or is constantly breaking down, not only will it cost more to repair than getting a new system, but you will have to wait longer to get it fixed as outdated parts become harder to find!