How to Know When it’s Time for a New Air Conditioner

With warmer temperatures upon us, you may be wondering if it’s time to replace your AC unit. You don’t want to waste money on a new one if you don’t need it, but also don’t want to be stuck with one that doesn’t work well. We’d like to inform you of how to know when it’s time to upgrade.

It’s More Than 10 Years Old

Your AC unit goes through a lot. Since part of it is outside, it’s subject to wear and tear from the elements, animals, and weather. While modern air conditioners can last for up to 20 years, older ones generally only last up to 10 or 12 years before pricy repairs arise, so if it’s close to that long, you might want to consider planning for a replacement. Especially if you live somewhere hot where you use A/C year-round, or have slacked on getting yearly tune-ups, there’s a good chance you’ll need a replacement sooner rather than later.

Regular Breakdowns

If you receive yearly AC tune-ups but still experience breakdowns or malfunctions, it’s a good sign it may be time to be replaced. With tune-ups, the unit should be working properly. If it’s an old unit and needs a repair, the necessary parts may very expensive, or the parts may not even be available anymore. Getting it fixed and repaired consistently gets costly, and can add up to be even more expensive than getting a new unit would be.

High Energy Bills

If it’s especially warm weather and you are using your AC more often than usual, it would make sense for your bill to be slightly higher for that timeframe. However; if your energy bill is consistently skyrocketing and much higher than it used to be, that’s a tell-tale sign that your unit isn’t working efficiently, and you may need to prepare for replacing your ac unit.

Your Unit Uses R-22 Freon

You may or may not have heard of R-22 Freon, a refrigerant found in a lot of old air conditioning units. It’s been proven to be bad for the environment, which is why the EPA officially stopped its production in the US starting in January of 2020. If your unit uses R-22, you can still use it as it, however it is extremely hard to find & is very, very expensive so you’ll have to consider pricy repairs or replacing it with a newer unit that doesn’t use R-22 but instead uses a freon called R410A.

Loud Noises

If when you turn your AC on you hear strange rattling, knocking, banging, or buzzing sounds, a tune-up may not suffice. These noises most likely mean there are some worn out or damaged parts. With older units, the parts might not be available, or the repair cost and process will be even higher and lengthier than getting a new unit altogether.

Call us Today

Avoid getting stuck in the extremely hot weather with an old, costly, inefficient AC unit. You want to feel comfortable and cool in your own home, and Blue Frost can help with that. Not sure if you need a repair, tune-up, or replacement based on these signs? We encourage you to call today for a free, in-home AC consultation so we can assess your unit’s needs and suggest the best course of action for replacement. For supreme HVAC service near Elgin, you know who to call!