We’re still a ways off from consistently warm weather, but not as far off as you may think. If you are not careful to make preparations for summer now, you may find yourself in a pretty uncomfortable situation when the hot weather actually arrives. Preventive maintenance is usually the top of the list for making sure that your air conditioner is in good shape for the summer.
However, you should also make sure that your air conditioner is actually up for another summer at all. Everything has an expiration date, of course, and you don’t want to be surprised by a sudden air conditioning breakdown in the middle of the hot months. So watch for these signs that your air conditioner needs to be replaced before summer.
Unusually High Monthly Costs
Unexplained rises in monthly air conditioner operating costs, whether sudden or steady, should be cause for alarm. If you use your air conditioner more often, of course you’re going to pay more on a monthly basis to operate it. Inexplicable spikes in cost, hower, are often an indication of a larger issue. As an air conditioner ages, it begins to wear down from the years of use. Eventually, the cumulative wear and tear on the system will cause it to start to lose efficiency. This efficiency loss will translate to longer operation times, as the system attempts to compensate. That longer operating time will gradually start to add to your monthly bills.
Very Frequent Problems
All air conditioners have the occasional problem that they have to deal with. Accidents happen, after all, even with climate control systems. Normally, however, you shouldn’t have to repair the air conditioner more than once every few years. If you need to repair the system every few months, especially if it is a different part that breaks each time, that’s a big sign that it’s time to replace the entire system. An air conditioner that breaks down that often is probably just too worn out to keep going for much longer. The parts inside it are beginning to fail, and the entire system will break down permanently sooner rather than later. You should replace the system now, before you spend more money on repairs and it just breaks down anyway.
Old Age
Assuming you schedule regular maintenance and prompt repairs for your air conditioner, you will probably get 10 to 15 years of good service out of it. Once an air conditioner gets older than that, it starts to have issues like those listed above. This will vary, of course, depending on the individual situation. For most people, though, an air conditioner that is older than 15 years is a good indication that it’s time to get a new one. You should consult with a professional to determine whether or not you would benefit from installing an entirely new system.
Sunset Air offers a full range of air conditioner replacement services in Olympia, WA. If you need help installing a new air conditioner, contact us today for an appointment.
