The Central Coast region is known for its swelting summers and cold winters. That’s why it’s so important to ensure your air conditioner is always working at its best. Like any other home appliance, your air conditioner has a limited lifespan. If you notice issues with your unit, you may wonder whether you should repair it or if it’s time for a replacement.

So How To Know if Your Air Conditioner Needs to be Replaced?

Although regular maintenance and repairs can extend the life of your air conditioner and boost its efficiency, you will need a new one eventually. Coastal Air Conditioning has years of experience with repairing and replacing air conditioners. Our team know all the symptoms of a deteriorating AC unit. So, we’ve put together a helpful list of the top five signs that indicate it might be time for a new air conditioner.

1. Your AC unit doesn’t cool your home.

One of the most obvious signs that there is something wrong with your air conditioner is if it fails to provide consistent cooling throughout your home. As AC units age, their ability to cool your home becomes less efficient, and you may start to feel the difference. This is usually due to wear and tear on the compressor, which helps regulate the temperature. If the compressor starts to fail, it won’t be able to reduce the temperature of the air coming through effectively. This makes it difficult for the entire unit to perform at peak efficiency. 

If you notice it takes longer than usual to feel cool even after setting the temperature lower than usual, this may be a sign you need a new AC.

2. Air Conditioner Age

While air conditioners can last for many years, the consensus in the AC industry is that they should be replaced every 10-15 years. This estimate accounts for normal wear and tear as well as the efficiency of the unit itself. As an AC unit ages, its components become less reliable over time, leading to decreased cooling power.

Additionally, older models are less energy efficient than their modern counterparts. To ensure maximum performance and cost-effectiveness, replacing your current AC after 10-15 years with a more recent model from a reputable brand is best.

3. Increasing Energy Bills

If you notice that your cooling costs have steadily been increasing – even as your temperature settings remain constant – it could be a sign that you need to replace your air conditioner. This is because parts like fans, coils and compressors can wear down over time and lose their performance capability.

As a result, the system has to work even harder to maintain the same amount of cooling, leading to higher energy bills. If you find yourself in this situation, replacing your air conditioner with a newer model may help.

Many of the newer models come with Energy Star certification or other cost-saving features like variable speed technology – so that you can help keep energy costs low. Replacing an old air conditioner with a new high-efficiency system can significantly reduce energy costs.

4. Strange Noises Coming From Your AC Unit

Air conditioners are designed to run as quietly as possible. But if your AC unit starts to make strange noises, it could mean that your air conditioner is beginning to break down. Unusual rattling, squealing and banging noises indicate potentially severe problems with the fan motor. 

Although regular repairs may resolve some issues, these kinds of problems often warrant replacing the unit in order to ensure a quieter environment.

5. Bad smells

The last thing anyone wants is an AC system with a foul odour during hot summer days. Unfortunately, bad smells may indicate that your air conditioning unit needs replacing. Not only is a smelly air conditioner unpleasant, but it could also be a sign of mould and bacteria growth in the ducts or air filters.

A musty or damp smell is usually an indicator of mould, while a smoky smell could indicate serious problems with the motor or electrical components.

Central Coast Air Conditioning Service

When your air conditioner isn’t running like it used to, it can be difficult to determine whether it needs a repair or a replacement. Fortunately, Coastal Air Conditioning is here to help you make the right decision.

Our skilled technicians can inspect your unit and provide expert analysis of its condition. We’ll examine key factors such as age, energy efficiency level, noise output, and repair cost versus replacement cost.

After this analysis, we can help you determine if it’s more cost-effective to make repairs or invest in a new unit. If you need a full replacement, Coastal Air Conditioning can also guide you in selecting the most efficient and budget-friendly solution from our selection of quality air conditioning systems.

Contact us today for more information.