![\"old-air-conditioner\"](\"https:\/\/www.accomfort.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/air-conditioning-ancient-300x200.jpg\")
Handling air conditioning repairs, maintenance, and replacements are the biggest part of our job because the weather in Katy means ACs in homes do plenty of work around the year. Your home\u2019s air conditioning system never gets an extended vacation and probably must turn on a few times each month of winter.<\/p>\n
Now that we\u2019re heading toward the big heat of the year, it\u2019s a good time to consider getting a new air conditioner if your current one is too old or in poor shape.<\/p>\n
You never want to jump to a hasty conclusion about a project as large and with so many long-term effects as replacing a central air conditioner. We recommend you call our technicians to inspect the AC in your house as part of regular spring maintenance. Our technicians can give you an expert opinion on replacement and if repairs are still cost-effective.<\/p>\n
Below we\u2019ve listed criteria used in making the choice about an air conditioner replacement:<\/p>\n
An air conditioner older than 15 years is a prime candidate for retirement. Can a central AC last for longer? Possibly. But past 15 years is the point where rapid decline sets in and air conditioning care becomes about diminishing returns and damage control. With so many advanced alternatives on the market, and even modestly priced replacements having superior efficiency ratings, it\u2019s time to pack it in for the old air conditioner.<\/p>\n
Ask any HVAC technician about what\u2019s too expensive for an air conditioning system repair, and you\u2019ll hear something similar to the \u201cRule of 5,000.\u201d Multiply the age of the unit by the projected cost of the repair. If the number is over 5,000, that\u2019s too expensive. For the number of repairs, it should not exceed more than one a year\u2014and if an AC needs a repair every<\/em> year, that\u2019s also too much.<\/p>\n An expert can give you an idea of how reliable your current air conditioner is. Maintenance helps an AC\u2019s chance of making it through the summer, but at a certain point it won\u2019t make much difference. A technician can inform you when the AC is at a high risk of failing during the coming summer, leaving you with no choice but to make an emergency repair.<\/p>\n A technician can determine if your air conditioner is living up to its original SEER rating, which measures efficiency. A maintained central air conditioner should keep 95% of its SEER rating for most of its life, and start to speedily drop at the end. If you have higher cooling bills than normal, tell the technician so they can investigate and find if the source is from irreversible system deterioration.<\/p>\nHigh Risk of a Breakdown<\/h2>\n
Dying Energy Efficiency<\/h2>\n