April 06, 2020
With the start of spring comes the start of the warm season, and it’s only a matter of time before temperatures start to climb. Before long, people all around the area will be firing up their air conditioners and possibly be faced with the prospect of a system that has broken down. If you’re like most homeowners, a broken air conditioner brings up a question that nobody wants to have to answer: should you repair your air conditioner or replace it entirely.
However, what makes this question so off-putting is the fact that very few homeowners have the knowledge to determine whether a repair or a replacement is right for their needs. And until they know for sure, all they know is that there’s a chance they may have to spend thousands of dollars on a replacement while their home continues to go without the cooling they need. The only way to know for sure is to have your system professionally inspected and diagnosed by an air conditioning expert, but in the meantime, there are a few tips and tidbits that can help you get a better understanding as to what’s more than likely going to be the best solution for you.
The number-one way to tell whether your air conditioner should be repaired or replaced is to simply find the answer to one question: how old is your system? The average air conditioner has an expected lifespan of around 15 years, and can even reach up to 20 years if you maintain it well. However, if you go too far beyond this age, the wear and tear on your system means breakdowns are going to become more and more frequent. Repairs will continue to be more and more expensive, and the amount of energy your system uses will continue to climb higher and higher. In fact, when you add in the improvements to energy consumption that are constantly being made as new technology is developed, you could be losing out on quite a bit of money by continuing to repair and operate an old air conditioner.
However, if your system is still fairly new, then a repair is probably the option you want to go with. This isn’t always the case, but if your repairs are affordable and your system still has several years of expected life in it, then by all means you should consider a repair.
This question is an easy one to answer: every air conditioner should have an Energy Guide printed on your indoor unit. On this energy guide is a rating known as a SEER value, or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The higher this number is, the more efficient your system. If your system is a 10 SEER or lower, then you should consider replacing it. If the SEER rating is 13 or above, then replacement isn’t necessary and a repair will probably be just fine.
Alternatively, you can also take a look at your energy costs. If you compare an energy bill from operating your air conditioner this year to an energy bill from, say, five years ago, and you notice that you’re using far more energy even though you haven’t replaced your air conditioner or made any major changes to your home, then your aging AC is probably the reason for it. Replace it, and you should see a huge savings in your monthly utility costs.
Whether or not you should repair your system will depend heavily on how much it will cost to actually conduct the repair. Here’s a rule of thumb: if the cost to repair your system is more than it will cost to replace it, then it’s a no-brainer: replace it and start over with a brand-new unit. Repairs of this magnitude are rare, but repairs requiring you to pay anywhere from 1/3 to half of the cost of a new system are not nearly as unheard of. If fixing your system is going to cost a huge chunk of what it would cost to replace your system entirely, then a replacement is probably going to be the better option. When you consider a new system will be more reliable, need fewer repairs, and save you money on energy, the choice becomes even clearer: replacement is a better idea more often than you might think.
Is this the first breakdown your air conditioner has ever experienced? Then there’s a pretty good chance that a repair will be the better choice unless your repair is extremely serious. More often than not, if your system is reliable and simply doesn’t break down, then it’s actually still in good health and will continue to last. However, if it breaks down on you quite frequently, say once or twice a year, then it is absolutely time to send your old system off to retirement. Before long, the cost of repairs will monumentally increase the cost of ownership and how much money you’re spending keeping your home cool every summer. Avoid it by replacing your system with one that’s more reliable and energy-efficient.Are you interested in replacing your air conditioner? Talk to the experts at EnviroSafe Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning, Water Treatment! Dial (856) 208-5108 now to schedule a new system consultation. Get the cooling power you need to make working at home and sheltering in place more comfortable during the COVID-19 pandemic.
I highly recommend !! Andrew was very professional, respectful, and knowledgeable. He explained what needed to be done and even took pictures to show me and then provided me with the cost. He took his time and made sure everything was done properly. Andrew is a fantastic… Read more
I used envirosafe two years ago when I bought my house, they have been excellent from the moment I called them. Gage and Micheal were the technicians that came to my house to service my water softener system and these guys were awesome. They answered every question and… Read more
Andrew was absolutely professional and worked diligently to find a balance with the boiler system. It is very difficult system because one boiler heats four apartments. Andrew and his helper put new air pressure gauges on the radiators and made sure that all the radiators were… Read more
Andrew and Shawn were friendly, knowledgeable, informative and very genuine. Air was in the lines they needed bleeding and maintenance so that my heat could be properly working for the winter season. It was a pleasure having these gentlemen service my boiler so that me and my… Read more
I had a great experience with them today! Yesterday I realized our water heater wasn’t working. The trouble shooting was beyond my experience. I called them and the dispatch was helpful and had two technicians arrive within a couple of hours. The technician(s) were very… Read more
EnviorSafe came out to my home to repair a busted water pipe due to the cold weather within 3 hours of me calling them. Andrew, the technician who came to my home was very professional, knowledgeable and friendly and did a great job at a very reasonable cost. I highly… Read more
We have a well and our resin tank is over 16 years old. We thought the resin tank was failing. Fred and Sean showed up on time and were great. after inspecting the resin tank in only need maintenance, they did an amazing job. They were honest, very personable and the price was… Read more
I was referred to this company by my sister who had service done at her home for the first time. I called to get a repair/replacement (plumbing:overflow panel) tub wouldn’t drain out.One thing I love about the company, they were initially more concerned to fix the less cost… Read more
Jake and Marquan are excellent, and if you get either of them to provide service to your home, they’re both very professional, as well as great to converse with. The work done was handled properly, and I now have an all electric water heater with a tank, that is going to save… Read more
Avery was the technician that came out to service my softener system. super polite, very informative, and very quick. super friendly and made my first experience well worth it. will definitely be repeating business!
This is my second time using this company. I found them by luck (googling for someone that works with water softeners). Both times Gage our technician came to the house and repaired our water softener, replaced the pipe going from our well to the bladder and also fixed a leaky… Read more
I had Mike and Avery install a water softener and an RO system on my water system. From the very first visit I’ve been impressed with their knowledge, experience, professionalism and disposition. It’s been a long time since I’ve been impressed with any home service people. But… Read more
We used Envirosafe for several different projects from HVAC and a new boiler/hot water heater to replacing almost all of our plumbing lines. We did a few projects at a time over several months and the whole time Envirosafe was great to deal with. They made the process so easy,… Read more
Jake was very thorough, communicated and explained everything throughout the service process and was very professional. Even offered to clean around ac unit outside of service, all of this in the rain! Would definitely recommend Envirosafe to a friend.. ask for Jake! He’s great!
Avery stopped out to conduct our yearly maintenance on our water treatment system. He is a phenomenal employee. Not only was he training a newer employee, but he took the time to show me some things about our system that I did not know. His customer service and both guys over… Read more
We have always had a good experience with EnviroSafe. Bryan provided excellent service with our air conditioning repair. He was extremely knowledgeable and responsive to our needs.
Our relationship with EnviroSafe began in July, from installing a brand new unit, to a challenge with our dishwasher and more recently a hot water tank issue. Each and every representative we have dealt with has been professional, knowledgeable, timely and accommodating… Read more
I have used Envirosafe on several different occasions. Most recently I used them to tune up my boiler prior to the winter season. He discovered some leaks in a few other pipes related to my heating system and was able to fix it the same day. Would recommend for anyone who is… Read more
Envirosafe meets all our water and plumbing needs. They respond promptly and arrive prepared. Fred Perry is one their friendly hard working knowledgeable technicians who gets the job done with a smile and thoroughly explains the service. Envirosafe is our go to company for… Read more
From the original phone call where we were provided same day service, to Jeff and CJ arriving when they said they would. The whole experience was excellent. Jeff and CJ diagnosed and repaired the problem quickly and efficiently. We would use Enviro Safe again.
First, Emma was the greatest assistance in guiding me regarding service, scheduling and follow-up regarding addressing my problem with my heater. Next, Nate came the same day and diagnosed and repaired the problem quickly and efficient. Lastly, both individuals were so… Read more
Fred and Calvin showed up on time, were great communicators regarding our plumbing issue, possible options, the state of our repair during the job, and how much it would cost. They were friendly, conversive, and efficient in completing the job. Can’t recommend them highly enough.
Pleasant experience. Everything went as planned. All employees were courteous and professional especially Chris, Jake, Devin and the first technician whose name I can’t recall. Job well done
My technician was Jeff H. from Envirosafe. He was terrific. He fixed my problem and also spent time checking everything out. He was knowledgeable, kind and helpful. He asked if I had questions or needed anything else addressed. I only wish every service tech was this helpful… Read more
