How do you know if your air conditioner is facing the end of the line? Three telltale signs almost always signal that it’s time to replace your air conditioner.
- Old age and frequent repairs — View these two factors together because older air conditioners are most prone to malfunctions during their last two years. Most air conditioners last between 15 and 20 years, so if your air conditioner is 18 years old and you’ve been keeping it running only with frequent repairs, the writing is on the wall. The trickier area lies in the 10- to 15-year range. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that homeowners can save as much as 40 percent by replacing even a 10-year-old system with an efficient Energy Star-labeled system. In this case, evaluate your repair bills against your potential energy savings.
- Your electric bills — It’s easy to blame utility companies for big bills, but the truth is that older air conditioning systems have to work harder and longer to cool a home. For guidance, compare a system’s seasonal energy efficiency ratio, or SEER rating. The higher the number, the more efficient the system. A SEER rating of at least 16 is considered a good rating by most air conditioning experts.
- Humidity issues — Older, inefficient air conditioners may have difficulty cooling a home and removing humidity. So can a system that’s improperly sized, which points to the need to call a heating and cooling expert to size your new system to ensure that it’s neither too small nor too large.
If you’re uncertain about whether your air conditioner will make it past the finish line, call Griffith Energy Services to schedule an appointment. We’re proud to serve homeowners in Baltimore, Frederick, Hagerstown, Westminster and Easton, Md.; Dover, Del.; Manassas, Va., and Martinsburg, W.Va.
Written by Kevin Spain
