Should I Repair My AC in St. Cloud, FL or Replace It?

Over time, as your AC system ages and declines, you are bound to find yourself wondering whether to repair or replace the unit altogether — and the decision isn’t always an easy one to make. Here’s what you should consider when deciding whether to repair or replace the unit in your St. Cloud, FL home.

Cost

Cost is probably the main factor in the decision to either repair or replace. Installing a new AC HVAC system can be expensive, but repair costs on a very old system can quickly add up.

Industry professionals recommend consulting a simple formula when deciding whether to repair or replace. Take your system’s age in years and multiply that number by the cost of the repairs that you are contemplating. If the total exceeds $5,000, it’s probably wise to replace your system instead.

Age and Performance

Some exceptions exist to this rule, however. First, replacement is unlikely to be a good decision if your system is less than five years old. Also, if your system is old but performs consistently well, you should probably just repair the defective parts and keep the old unit.

Additionally, industry professionals consistently recommend that when your AC system has been around for more than 10 years, you should at least consider replacing and upgrading. Not only is the old system probably defective, but newer ones will almost certainly have superior features.

Never Neglect Safety

Certain malfunctions, breaks or other issues with your AC system — like refrigerant leaks, exposed wiring or flammable materials stuck somewhere inside your unit — can present significant safety risks. If you notice problems like these, you should probably replace your system unless it happens to be easy to make repairs.

Frank’s Air Conditioning offers both AC installation and repair services in St. Cloud, FL. If you’re unsure of which way to go, give us a call for an unbiased assessment of your system.

Image provided by iStock