We’re now in the second half of the summer, and your home’s AC has put in an enormous amount of work already cooling down the house. It still has a ways to go too, since the Florida summer heat can last long into fall. You shouldn’t have too much to worry about when it comes to your AC, provided you arranged for routine maintenance at the start of the year. ACs are designed to last for many years against extremely hot conditions.
Of course, no AC is designed to last forever. At this point in the summer season, you may detect signs that your air conditioning system is beginning to fail—headed for a last breakdown that will require you to schedule an AC replacement in Lake City, FL. The best way to avoid getting trapped with a failed AC is to pay attention to the warnings the system is on the way out. Below we’ve listed a few major signs.
1. The age of the air conditioner
This is the fastest way to tell how much longer you can expect an air conditioner to continue to work. The average air conditioner can last for 10 to 15 years. When your AC falls into this range, pay closer attention to faults and problems. An AC older than 15 years is ready for a replacement—schedule it as soon as you have a convenient time for it.
2. The cost to run the air conditioner
Regular maintenance can help an AC retain 95% of its original energy efficiency for most of its life. (Yet another reason to never skip maintenance!) In the last one or two years of an AC’s service life, a rapid efficiency decline will set in, and you’ll see much higher electricity bills during the summer. We recommend putting in a new AC when the cost to run it increases noticeably and repairs won’t turn it around.
3. The frequency of repairs
An air conditioning system can often run for years without needing any repairs. As it ages, repairs will become more frequent, but they should never become an annual occurrence. Or a biannual one! If you find yourself calling for repairs this often, arrange to have a new AC installed rather than sinking money into fixing the old one.
4. The cost of repairs
Just as important as the frequency of AC repairs is the cost of those repairs. In general, any repair that costs more than half the price of a replacement air conditioning system is too high. Also watch out if you’re paying more than $500 on repairs in a single year. This is throwing away money better spent on a new cooling system.
5. Decline in cooling capacity
In other words, your air conditioner cannot keep the house as cool as it once did. If you keep lowering the thermostat during the day to force the AC to provide the comfort you once took for granted, the AC is probably on its final lap.
Aren’t certain about your air conditioner’s future? We’re ready to help you!
Call Touchstone Heating and Air Inc 24/7 for exceptional customer service!