When you have to make the dreaded decision to replace your trusty air conditioner, you can be uncertain whether you are making the right choice. When is it time to call ‘time of death’ on your current unit? Even if you’ve given your air conditioner all the TLC in the world, there comes a time that you have to make a call on trading in the old for the new.
We share some of the tell-tale signs that you might have to bid adieu to your air conditioner and invest in a brand-new unit to keep you cool and collected in the hot and humid Perth summer.
What Factors Affect My AC Unit’s Life Expectancy?
1. How Long You’ve Had Your Air Conditioner
Think back to when you purchased your current unit. Was it more than 15 years ago? In general, air conditioners have roughly a 10-15 year lifespan, although many air conditioners start to lose efficiency after only ten years. You might not even have noticed that it has been letting you down, but you will immediately see where it has lacked performance when installing that new unit.
2. The Humidity of Your Climate and Building
In Perth, we have to deal with quite a high humidity level. When you notice that your unit is leaving more humidity behind, it means that it’s not working as efficiently as it should or once had. If you initially opted for a too big unit for your home or office, it’s lifespan would also probably be shorter.
Keep this in mind when you replace your air conditioner. It’s always best to get a professional to come in and take a look at your space and make an informed decision of what air conditioning unit will best serve you.
How to Tell When It’s Time to Replace Your Air Conditioner
1. You’re Hot, and You’re Cold: Inconsistent Temperature
If you feel uncomfortable even when you have not changed your temperature settings, it can indicate that your air conditioner is no longer working efficiently. Of course, it could simply mean that your unit is due for a cleaning or maintenance, but once you’ve tackled all of these considerations, it could boil down to merely replacing your unit.
2. There’s Something in the Air: A Foul Smell or Noisier-Than-Usual Unit
You might have forgotten what it was like when you first installed your unit. The soft purr, perfectly cool room and fresh air? Well, if you now catch a whiff of something you can’t place or if your unit sounds a bit more aggressive than usual, it is time to call it quits and go shopping for a new air conditioner. This is especially vital if the odour smells mouldy as it can cause serious health implications for everyone inhaling the air.
3. Drip, Drip: More Moisture Coming from Your Air Conditioner
Generally, most air conditioners will emit some water due to the condensation process it goes through. However, if you’ve noticed that it is excreting more moisture than usual, it might be time to call in the professionals to replace your air conditioner with a spanking new unit.
4. Let it Flow: Blocked Airflow
If your current air conditioning unit suddenly seems ‘blocked’ and not providing enough airflow, you might first want to take a closer look at your filters. However, if you’ve checked and cleaned your filters but the issue is still not resolved, you should probably have to replace your air conditioner to get back to the comfortable temperature and airflow you love and are used to.
5. A Hefty Electrictricty Bill at the End of Each Month
If you’ve been paying more for your electricity lately, your faulty air conditioning unit could be the culprit, and it might be time to replace your air conditioner. As your air conditioner has been taking a toll to keep you cool, it will start to use more electricity. You can get your air conditioner cleaned professionally to try and solve this performance issue, but ultimately it could be a sure way to tell that your air conditioner is starting to fail you.
6. On and Off and On Again
A short-circuiting unit is pointing towards a much larger issued. If your unit is randomly switching itself on and off again, it could be trying to tell you that it is not working correctly anymore.
7. You Have to Call in the Pros More Often than Usual
If you are continually paying for maintenance, you should consider cutting your losses – and saving money in the long run – by deciding to replace your air conditioner instead. More so if your air conditioner is no longer under warranty and only costing you more money than the benefit it is providing.
8. You Have to Dust More Often
Your air conditioner should be making your cleaning load lighter by filtering the air. If you are suddenly seeing more dust collecting on the surfaces around your house, it could point to the fact that your air conditioner is not working as it should or once had. You can check if the filters are clean or if you should replace them first, but if nothing is changing, you probably have to replace your air conditioner.
Out with The Old, In with the New
If it is finally time to say goodbye to your air conditioner, give us a call. We can help you get rid of your old air conditioner and replace it with the best new air conditioner to serve your needs. With our years of experience, you can rest assured that you will feel cool and collected in your building in no time and at all times.
