Warmer weather is here, and people are starting to make use of their air conditioners to stay comfortable. For some people, though, now is the time to have a new air conditioning unit installed. If you’re not sure whether or not your air conditioner can get you through another summer, read on. Let’s take a look at some of the signs that you might need to replace your old air conditioner.
Declining Efficiency
An air conditioner is only as efficient as the parts it is made of. As a system gets older, those parts wear out, causing a decline in efficiency. The more the efficiency of the system declines, the longer it has to stay on in order to affect the same temperature changes. This will lead to higher and higher bills. If your air conditioning bills are going up for no apparent reason, you may need to install a new air conditioner.
Repairs
The same wear and tear that causes a decline in the system’s efficiency will also result in parts starting to break down. Normally, an air conditioner shouldn’t need repairs very often. As a system gets closer to the end of its life, though, groups of parts will start to break down in close succession. If you’ve had your air conditioner repaired multiple times in the past year, it may be time for a new one.
Age
Once an air conditioner gets older than around 20 years, it starts to develop problems like those listed above. You can keep the system up and running, with enough money to spend on repairs and replacements. However, it’s far more cost-effective to simply install a new system at that point than to maintain a failing one.