Your air conditioner is one of the biggest investments that you make in your home, and you likely want to get the longest possible life out of your system. But air conditioners don’t last forever, and if you hang on to your system for too long, it could end up costing more money than it would to replace your system sooner. Today we’re going to talk about the risks of running an old air conditioner in your home and when you should start to think about replacing your current system!
What are the risks of running an old air conditioner in your Coachella Valley home?
- Frequent and expensive repairs. The older your air conditioner gets, the more severe its problems will be. That’s because some of its major components will begin to break down, which can be very expensive to fix. In addition, you’ll be investing a significant amount of money into a system that you’ll need to replace soon Before you spend money on repairing an old system, especially for a major repair, consider whether or not that money would be better spent toward a new air conditioner.
- High energy bills. One of the biggest problems with old air conditioners is that they do not run as efficiently as they used to. Even if your system isn’t necessarily malfunctioning, some of its parts will simply start using up more energy than they used to. Again, you should consider whether or not the money you’re spending on high energy bills would be better off going toward the costs of a new system.
- Major comfort issues. It’s a simple fact that air conditioners begin to degrade in performance once they reach the end of their operating lives. This can be a major issue here in the Coachella Valley where we rely on our air conditioners to keep us comfortable in our hot desert climate. What’s the point in paying the operating expenses on an air conditioner that isn’t doing its job properly?
- Complete system breakdowns. Even worse than comfort issues, old air conditioners are at an elevated risk of breaking down completely due to issues like overheating. If your air conditioner breaks down, you’ll be left with no cool air at all in your home. This is most likely to happen in the middle of summer when you need your system the most.
How to know when to replace your current air conditioner
On average, you can expect your air conditioner to last somewhere between 10-15 years. Once it reaches that age range, you should start planning for a new system. Keep an eye out for the issues that we discussed above, and use them as warning signs that it’s likely time to invest in a new system that will operate more efficiently and effectively.
If you have any questions about the risks of running an old air conditioner, or if you’d like a cooling system serviced or installed in your home, contact Hydes, your Indio, CA, air conditioning contractor.
