HVAC repair and maintenance series 0102 When To continue repairing or replace your AC unit in 2023

We must all be excited that 2023 is fast approaching, and we should all have the best strategies for dealing with many issues. What other problems do you have besides your AC unit? As a homeowner, or if you rent, struggling with a home appliance not working or spending too much money on maintenance is not the best way to enjoy your brand new year. This article suggests when to continue repairing or replacing your AC unit in the coming year, 2023. Having a brand new AC unit installed is a great experience and desirable by all, but the problem is the cost; it is not cost-free. Depending on the brand and the specifications, AC replacement costs between $8,000 to $20,000.

Kaitlyn Pacheco has enumerated the things to consider before replacing your AC unit. That article is a great piece to quickly come to terms with when making such a decision. The article tries to give a clue on what you should observe before making consideration to change it,

What are the indications that your AC units now need a change? Some experts advise that when your unit begins to experience excessive noise or vibrations or when your home humidity increases, you know you have issues. In some situations, when your AC breaks down frequently, and you notice an increase in your energy bills, the problem with the thermostat or the unit does not turn off or on, and you see water leakages. In our experience, AC accumulates dirt because improper ventilation is also a sign that the AC needs to be changed.

From an economic standpoint, if you find yourself constantly calling a technician to fix your AC system, and the bills keep going up, you are probably better off if you replace it. If your AC system is more than ten years old and repair costs are more than half its value, then sadly, No one needs to tell you that you need a new AC.

How many years should an air conditioner last?

Another question people ask our experts is how long a unit should be changed, the short answer is it depends, but historically 15 to 20 years are an agreed lifespan for a properly functioning unit.

While every unit is different, and every homeowner has a further understanding of when their central air conditioner is broken beyond repair, it is essential to understand that, with proper maintenance and care, you can enjoy your AC for as long as 20 years.

Is it better to repair or replace an AC?

As explained above, when you constantly fix your air conditioner, it becomes even better to get a new one because of the financial implication of paying for repairs. This is because conditioner units that require frequent maintenance could signal that it's time for a replacement. If your AC unit is constantly breaking down, never cooling the home properly, and continuously operating loudly, you should consider replacing the air conditioner.

Now let us dig into the fundamental decision-making part that you must consider, But before we continue, let us understand if the final decision is to replace your AC unit. Save your money on expensive AC units; buy MrCool AC units.

1. The age of the system you currently use. The average lifetime for an air conditioner in the United States is 15 to 20 years; apart from us mentioning this earlier, it is also a report put forward by the Department of Energy. If you are in Florida, though, then it is different because residents here run their units almost always non-stop and are also exposed to higher humidity levels. A reasonable estimate would be the range of 10-12 years lifespan for their AC units. It might also be shorter or longer depending on the AC units' quality and how well they were installed and maintained.
2. The history of the AC units, for example, how extensive the repair going on with the units, and we should also take into consideration if the current units are well maintained, for clarity it is crucial to follow the rule of maintenance; for example, we recommend that your change the filters every 1-3 months, keep the outdoor units free of plants growing around it and clogging debris and always call your HVAC technician to come over and tune the system up regularly. A good maintenance practice has the consequences of higher reliability, efficiency, and higher life expectancy. More than 50% of the maintenance cost can be off for all well-maintained units.
3. 
   Check your SEER ratings; SEER means seasonal energy efficiency ratio or how efficient your air conditioner operates. SEER rating denotes the use of lower energy consumption to produce cooling. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and can be formulated by dividing the system's cooling output (measured in BTUs or British Thermal Units) during a typical cooling season by the input of electrical energy (measured in watt-hours) during this season. The standard SEER rating for MrCool is 14 for their central system and can also be as high as 22, which is the 12k BTU DIY ductless mini split. You should also be reminded that your old unit SEER may have reduced due to tear and wear, and experts support that you switch to a new system with a better SEER rating, and you will see your energy savings increase. Since January 2006, all residential air conditioners sold in the United States must have a SEER of at least 13. according to a document online by the U.S. Department of Energy, look for the energy star label before buying any unit. You can save on your heating and cooling costs if you upgrade your system by about 25%, which is a lot as we advance.
4. Because of the environment, the production and importation of the gas Freon R22, HCFC, has officially been stopped; hence, its production and importation are prohibited in the U.S. market. You may have to change your Air conditioner if it is running on Freon. If you still use a system that uses Freon 22 as the cooling gas, you may have to change it because it is challenging to get the gas itself, and if you happen to see it, it will be very costly at best. Again if you use an old system that uses R22, kindly change your A.C. unit period to no walk-around on this one.
5. Ensure that your A.C. units match. The split units are both indoors and outdoors. You may not know that a previous user had changed one of the units, and it worked at the time without them knowing that both systems do not match. Two systems that do not fit is a good idea initially, but along the road, it could be a better thing because it can lower the operating efficiency and reduce lifestyle in some cases. The warranty of either can easily be voided due to this situation

Think about why you need to either continue to repair your AC unit or change it completely. you may also contact us for guidance

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