Every summer, thousands of California homeowners face the same question: fix the old air conditioner one more time, or replace it? Here is how we help customers decide.
The 5,000 rule
Multiply the age of the unit in years by the repair estimate in dollars. If the result is over 5,000, replacement usually makes more financial sense. A 12-year-old unit needing a 600 dollar repair scores 7,200: lean toward replacement. A 6-year-old unit with the same repair scores 3,600: repair it.
R-22 refrigerant
Air conditioners built before 2010 often use R-22, which is no longer produced. Recharging an R-22 system after a leak repair is expensive and getting worse. If your unit uses R-22 and has a refrigerant problem, replacement is almost always the better call.
Efficiency in a long cooling season
California cooling seasons run from April into October in much of the state. A modern 16 SEER2 system can use 30 to 40 percent less electricity than a 10 SEER unit from 2005. Over a long season that adds up to real money, which shortens the payback on a new system.
Repair makes sense when
- The unit is under 10 years old
- The failed part is minor: capacitor, contactor, fan motor, thermostat
- The system has been maintained and has no history of breakdowns
Replacement makes sense when
- The compressor has failed on a unit over 10 years old
- The unit uses R-22 and has a leak
- Repairs are becoming yearly events
- You are adding square footage the old unit cannot handle
Consider a heat pump
If your furnace is also aging, a single heat pump can replace both, heating and cooling efficiently. Ask about it during your replacement estimate. And whichever way you go, honest AC repair starts with a diagnosis, not a sales pitch. Call (855) 459-5498.