These days, the life span of air conditioning and furnace equipment is a long time.  While chronological age does factor into an AC’s service life, there are a few other signals that it is time to replace your unit.

So, if you are wondering if it’s time to spend the money on a new unit, or if you think your AC is acting strange, check out these 7 signals that it’s time to get a new AC installed.

1.    AC Unit Age (Obviously!)

The typical lifespan of an air conditioner is around 10 to 15 years.  Older units will expend more energy to run and, if the unit is not sized properly, it may not cool the house completely.  Additionally, older units will start to require more repairs and those repairs get costlier as the unit gets older.

2.    More Repairs & More Money

Because older units may require more repairs due to age, those repairs can be quite expensive.  Repairs at this stage of the game are usually a stop-gap to keep the unit running and those repairs will keep on coming.  (More importantly, repairs typically come when least expected and at the absolute wrong time.  Don’t wait until its 95 degrees with 100% humidity to go without your AC!)

3.    AC is Always Running

If your AC is always running and never seems to shut down, this can indicate an efficiency issue.  Constant running can also mean the unit is not the correct size for the size of the home it is trying to cool.  Most importantly, constant running costs more money by increasing your energy bills.

4.    Room Temperatures Very Room-to-Room

If one room is warmer or doesn’t seem to be getting any air flow it could indicate an equipment issue.  Imbalanced temperature could also indicate improperly sized ductwork or AC unit.  While it may not seem important, this variation in cooling balance could cause long-term damage to your HVAC system. 

5.    Unit is Loud & Noisy

A loud unit isn’t just annoying when you are sitting outside and enjoying the summer evening.  It could indicate a system failure.  Loud, noisy units could mean a motor breakdown or coil issues.

6.    Increased Indoor Humidity

Let’s face it, we love our AC mainly to get out of that nasty humidity in the summer.  If the humidity levels in your home are high too, this could indicate that your HVAC system is the wrong size for your home.  It could also indicate it is not cooling as efficiently as it should be.

7.    ComEd Bill is Frightening

Rising energy bills are typical with older AC units.  Energy-efficient units really do save money.  Additionally, again, the size of your HVAC system could be too small for your home. 

So, if you notice these 7 signals it’s time to get a new AC before the heat of summer arrives.  If you aren’t sure whether these signals really do mean you should get a new unit, give us a call and we can come out and give you a free estimate.  We can do a quick overview and let you know what we see and if you should invest in a new unit.

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