Indicators Your A/C System is Dying

If your A/C system is about to give up the ghost, will it give you a warning? Central air conditioners are sturdy and expected service life averages about 15 years — assuming the unit receives annual preventive maintenance by a qualified HVAC professional. However, like all mechanical devices, wear and tear eventually catches up and a replacement air conditioner must be installed.

So you won’t be caught by surprise, here are some warning signs to be aware of:

• Frequent small repairs. As with any manufactured device, all components inside an air conditioner are engineered to have a similar life expectancy. If you’re having to request frequent service calls for repairs due to worn-out parts, that could be a sign that an older unit may need to be replaced any day now.
• Poor performance. If the air conditioner doesn’t cool like it used to and routine maintenance or small fixes don’t improve the issue, wear and tear throughout multiple parts in the system may have reached the point where acceptable performance cannot be restored and the unit must be replaced.
• High operating costs. If you notice your electricity bills increasing and other possible causes have been ruled out, you may be dealing with an air conditioner that is worn beyond specifications. Excessive wear causes the unit to run longer and longer cycles to maintain the thermostat setting. This increases electrical consumption which shows up on your monthly bills.
• Major breakdowns. Certain major A/C components are deal-breakers when it comes to replacement once a unit has reached a certain age. The compressor is the single most expensive component in the system. Replacement of the compressor after an air conditioner has passed most of its expected service life is rarely worth the cost. Financially, upgrading to a new air conditioner is the more viable option. Also, a new unit delivers improved energy efficiency and lower operating costs as well as better cooling performance.

Are you seeing signs that your A/C system is near the end of the road? As the pros at C.R. Wolfe Heating & Air Conditioning for a complete evaluation.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Middletown, New York about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air conditioners and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 845-367-4482.

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