When is Air Conditioning Repair No Longer Viable?
We need reliable air conditioning in Raleigh, NC as the best line of defense against the heat and humidity. When your system suffers problems in the middle of a heat wave, a swift repair service can be great: getting your unit up and running again before you feel the loss. At some point, however, the question becomes whether air conditioning repair is still viable, or whether it’s time to consider installing a whole new unit. The answer depends on your particular circumstances, but a few general rules of thumb should apply.
Knowing when to replace your AC can be a tough decision. The most important part of that decision is whether or not your AC is able to cool your home both effectively. After 10 years, take a look at your AC and make sure it is still performing at the level you need it to. That’s a good basic timeline for decision making, though units can go beyond 10 years if they’re well-maintained and continuing to perform efficiently. That last word – “efficiently” – is actually the most important when determining if repairs are no longer worth it. The less efficient your unit is, the more a new unit makes sense. Over the years, AC technology keeps on improving, so you might be able to buy an AC unit now that is significantly more efficient than your current system.
How can you tell if your air conditioner is no longer worth maintaining? Obviously, if repairs become so frequent or cost so much that you’d rather not run the unit at all, it’s time for a change. You should also pay attention to your monthly energy bills. If you find them spiking in the summer months without any additional appliance use on your part, the AC unit has probably become too inefficient to continue (especially if the bills stay high even after a repair call). You might also consider replacement if your house feels too humid, if the air conditioning is excessively noisy, or if your home just doesn’t feel comfortable no matter how often the air conditioner runs.
Again, calling a service tech for repairs is probably the best first option in these cases. But if repairs don’t seem to correct the issue and the unit is getting on in years, air conditioning repair is probably no longer viable. You can count on Raleigh Heating & Air not only to provide reliable maintenance services, but to install a new air conditioning unit when the time comes. Call us today; we serve the entire Raleigh area.