Here in New Cumberland, PA, air conditioning is essential in the summer. However, air conditioners aren’t cheap, so most homeowners try to keep their home’s AC system working for as long as possible before replacing it. At a certain point, though, buying a new air conditioner becomes inevitable. For the average central air conditioner, about 20 years is the maximum lifetime you should expect. If you own a 20-year-old air conditioner that still works, it’s natural to wonder if replacing it is a necessity. Here’s the answer.
The Problem of Diminishing Returns
The simplest answer to the question posed by this article is that no, you don’t have to replace a 20-year-old air conditioner if it’s still working. That doesn’t mean, however, that it’s not a good idea. At that age, you can count on your home’s air conditioner to start having more frequent breakdowns. Worse still, you can expect them to happen at the peak of the summer when the demand on the system peaks. So, if you want to avoid getting stuck in the heat while you wait for repairs, replacing your 20-year-old AC makes good sense.
You should also consider that each breakdown will add to your cost of ownership. It doesn’t take as long as you might think for the repair costs on an old AC to equal or exceed the cost of a replacement. The key is to proceed with a replacement before those costs start to add up. If you’re not careful, you’ll pay a small fortune in repair bills before eventually having to buy a new AC anyway.
The Advantages of a New AC
You should also know that hanging on to a 20-year-old air conditioner, even one that works, comes with additional costs beyond repair costs. One of the most significant among these is the extra energy costs associated with running an older AC system. Twenty years ago, the average residential AC system had a SEER rating of 10. Today, the least efficient AC you can buy comes with a SEER rating of 14.
The difference in operating costs between those two systems is huge. Consider the following example of an average home with a 3-ton AC system that runs for 1,000 hours each year and pays $0.1319 per kWh for electricity. If that home’s AC has a SEER rating of 10, it’ll cost approximately $627 per year to operate. By comparison, a newer AC with a SEER rating of 14 will only cost $447.86 per year to run. So, over the lifespan of the AC, you’d save a significant sum, even with the least-efficient new AC on the market today.
Call New Cumberland’s AC Experts
If you’re considering replacing your home’s older air conditioner, Daflure is the best place to turn. We’ve served the New Cumberland area since 1979, offering complete residential and commercial HVAC services, solar power solutions, and indoor air quality services. Our team of NATE-certified technicians can install a new AC system in your home with minimal disruption to you and your family. We even offer financing on approved credit to help you better afford the AC system your home needs.
So, don’t wait until your old AC dies in the middle of the summer, and contact Daflure for a new AC today!
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