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Should You Repair Or Replace Your Air Conditioner?

Should You Repair Or Replace Your Air Conditioner

When your air conditioner suddenly malfunctions at odd hours, it disturbs your sleep schedule and your peace of mind. You may have faced this situation before, like other air conditioner owners in Portland, but you always postpone a replacement and instead repair it over and over again.

It’s important to know when is the right time to contact a technician for AC replacement in Portland instead of spending money on their repair jobs. Here, you shall find the answers to all your queries regarding the better option between replacement or repairs.

Expected Age of an Air Conditioner

After the initial AC installation in Portland, the system should last an average age of 15 years. It can last as long as 20 years if you maintain it properly, but we typically recommend an inspection long before then to determine how well your AC is working. Although the AC unit doesn’t stop working once it reaches its lifespan, some of its most important parts do:

  • Compressor: The work of a compressor in an air conditioner is to pump the refrigerant between the heat-exchanging parts. If the compressor faces any technical or mechanical damage, the whole system will need to be replaced as there is no repair option for a compressor.
  • Indoor Coils: Indoor coils have refrigerant in them. They absorb indoor heat and transfer it to the compressor, which further transfers it to other heat exchanging parts. Usually, indoor coils can work efficiently for 15 years with proper cleaning, but they may start leaking refrigerant after that period.
  • Outdoor Coils: The sole purpose of outdoor coils is to discharge the heat that indoor coils carry with them. Since outdoor coils do not do much work, they have a higher lifespan period than other parts. However, damage to outdoor coils is equivalent to damage to other important parts and will need to be replaced.

How to Determine if You Need a Replacement

Three deciding factors can help you understand how necessary a replacement unit is for your home and comfort:
  • The Efficiency of Your Current System: An efficient air conditioner is precisely what you need for your home, but if this efficiency comes at the cost of frequent repair jobs each month, you may consider a replacement unit instead.
  • Your Stay in Your Home: If you think you will move in the next year or two, you may want to use your existing system instead of purchasing a new one. The cost of buying a new air conditioner and reinstalling it at your new home in the future would be more than the cost of repair jobs your existing system will demand from you.
  • Your Satisfaction: If your existing air conditioner meets your needs effectively without too much extra expense, there is no need for you to replace it yet.

Which is Better?

There is no fixed answer to the question of whether you need a repair or a replacement. It completely depends on your needs, comfort, and future plans.

If you’re uncertain which is right for you, you can always consult professionals and specialists to help you decide. Wolcott is your perfect partner for consultation services and HVAC services like furnace installation and air conditioning installation in Portland. Contact us at (503) 420-8022.

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