We repair first. Replacement makes sense sometimes, but it shouldn't be the automatic answer to every breakdown. Here's how we think about it.
Repair usually makes sense when
- The system is under about 12 years old
- The repair is a common part: capacitor, contactor, fan motor, drain line
- The system has kept the house comfortable until now
Replacement starts to make sense when
- The system is 12 to 15+ years old and needs a major repair like a compressor
- It uses R-22 refrigerant, which is no longer produced and is expensive to recharge
- You've had several repairs in the last couple of years
- The house has never been comfortable or never dries out in summer
A simple rule of thumb: multiply the system's age by the repair cost. If the result is more than the cost of a new system, replacement is worth a serious look. It's a starting point, not a rule.
Hampton Roads factors
Salt air shortens the life of outdoor coils near the water. Long, humid summers mean systems here run more hours than in many places. And oversized replacements are common, which leaves homes cold but clammy. If you replace, size the new system to the house, not to the old unit.
When we quote, you get the repair price and, if it makes sense, replacement options, in writing. You decide. See AC repair and replacement.
Written by the Ace Mechanical team. We've been fixing heating, cooling, refrigeration and plumbing across Hampton Roads for more than 30 years. Questions about your own system? Call (757) 495-7782.
