We’re finally starting to get some overcast, cooler weather these days. That means that heating season isn’t far off. You may or may not have already scheduled preventive maintenance or repairs to help get your heating system ready for the upcoming heating season. You definitely should, but we’ll get to that in a later post. Right now, though, we want to talk about why you might not be done with your air conditioning system quite yet. If your air conditioner seems like it might be getting towards the end of its life, now is a prime time to replace it with a new one. Read on to find out why it’s better to replace it now, rather than waiting until next spring or summer.
Do You Even Need a New Air Conditioner?
If you’re not sure whether or not your air conditioner is in need of replacement, the best thing to do is to call a professional to examine the system. That’s the only way to tell for certain that it’s time to install a new air conditioner in your home. There are a few symptoms that can help you decide whether it’s time to call a technician to make that evaluation or not, though.
For example, if your air conditioner costs way more to operate than you think is warranted by how much you’re using the system, then you might need a new air conditioner. The older an air conditioner gets, the more efficiency it’s going to lose to the accumulated years of wear and tear. The system will have to operate for longer periods of time to keep the home cool because of this efficiency loss, which will be reflected in your monthly costs.
Constant breakdowns are another sign that you probably need to install a new air conditioning system. Needing repairs every few years isn’t that big of a deal. Needing repairs multiple times a year is a sign that something is seriously wrong with your system. In all likelihood, an air conditioner that breaks this often is on its last proverbial leg.
Finally, if your air conditioner is older than 15 years of age, it’s definitely time to have a professional take a look at it and make a recommendation about replacing it. 15 years is around the maximum effective age for air conditioners, after which point they are prone to developing all kinds of chronic problems that make them more of a pain to use than they’re worth.
So Why Now?
Okay, so maybe you do need to replace your air conditioning system. Why do it now instead of waiting till next year, though? Two reasons: cost and demand. Installing a system out of season is likely going to snag you some cost savings that you are unlikely to get during peak air conditioning installation season. Doing it now instead of waiting also ensures that you’re not competing with everyone else for air conditioning installation services. Better to have it done now and not have to worry about it, than to have to wait weeks for an appointment while your home quickly turns into a sauna.