.DIY Saturday #57 – How to Know When to Replace your Air Conditioner (Video)

Guest Blog #112, Entry #575, July 2, 2011

Happy DIY Saturday! The heat is rising as summer gets into full swing and this usually means increased use of your air conditioning system. For many homeowners, knowing when to replace their air conditioning unit is a foreign concept, and often wait too long before the unit is inoperable.

Keep your family cool this summer

Today, our Guest Blogger gives helpful tips to know when to replace your air conditioning system. See a You Tube which shows you helpful guidelines and parts of your air conditioning unit to understand when is the right to replace your unit.  As the summer months continue, these tips will be invaluable.

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You Tube Video – Things You Should Know Before You Repair or Replace Your Air Conditioner

Guest Blog – How to Know When to Replace your Air Conditioning System

When it comes to replacing your central air conditioner system it is no wonder that many home owners are reluctant to act – it is expensive!  And unlike a car where you get to flaunt it about to your friends, a new air conditioner is about the least sexy thing you can do in your life that will set you back thousands of dollars.  That said there are times when it simply comes time to replace your air conditioner and live with the impact to your wallet.  Understanding what these signs are will go a long ways to helping you sleep at night.

Outdated SEER ratings

It may seem like the standards for air conditioner units hasn’t changed much in the past few years, but the truth is that the efficiency of all the HVAC in homes has taken a decided jump forward.  Only a decade ago the standard among AC unit SEER ratings was around 8 SEER.  If you check out central air conditioner reviews today you will see that the minimum level is 13 SEER and units north of 20 SEER are available from just about every major brand.  Depending on where you live the upgraded efficiency can pay for itself in five to eight years, or even sooner if you cool a lot of volume due to large homes and vaulted ceilings.

Learn the areas of your HVAC System

AC breakdowns

The most obvious time to change out your AC system is when it breaks down.  If the unit is older than 10 years and it breaks down you should likely look at replacing.  There are still people who get 20+ years out of their units, but as a general rule it is more likely to die sooner than that (average life expectancy is more like 12-17 years).

Flaky systems in mild weather

If your unit is acting flaky when it is only a little bit warm outside, expect to have major problems when the weather turns very hot.  The HVAC technicians world is pretty low key except during temperature extremes.  It is at these times that the rates go up and you don’t want to be without your AC.  Doing a preemptive replacement is a good way to avoid several hundreds of dollars of repairs when it gets steamy and humid this summer.

Knowing your HVAC System will help against future repairs

Flattened Fins

When you look at your outdoor unit look at the fins that allow the air to flow from outside through your outside unit and into your home are the fins allowing air to move through?  Are they flattened?  Sometimes there is just a bunch of debris which can be cleaned off and in that case you should just clean the unit.  Other times the fins themselves are damaged and won’t allow the proper airflow through the unit.

Don’t let the AC blues hit you this summer.  Be well aware of the warning signs of an aging AC system that are going to signal a replacement is pending.  At least then you will know to save money for that upcoming air conditioning unit.  Just keep in mind that 12-17 years is all you should expect for a useable lifetime of a central air conditioning system.

Darin Hansen is an HVAC veteran who has seen the insides and out of the HVAC industry.   You can read more about all topics surrounding HVAC on his site including a look at the top rated central air conditioners of 2011.

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