Should I Replace My Air Conditioner or Fix It?
You’ve been putting it off, but with summer just a couple months away it has come back to haunt you. If your air conditioning was struggling at the end of last summer, you now need to make a decision. Is it worth the cost of a repair or should you just bite the bullet and replace it?
Pat Yourself on the Back
First, you should be commended. You are getting ahead of the game simply by being proactive. Whether you decide to repair or replace, once summer rolls around you will be waiting for an HVAC repair company in Philadelphia to schedule you right along with everyone else. Scheduling an air conditioning repair once summer hits can become an uncomfortable waiting game.
How to Decide
When you are trying to figure out if a repair makes sense, you want to consider some things about your system.
Age
First, how old is it? There is a simple calculation that most Philadelphia AC repair technicians use when deciding if a repair is worth it. They will take the age of the system and multiply it by the anticipated cost of the repair. If this exceeds $5,000, you may want to consider a replacement.
Sometimes it makes no sense to put money into an older system. Your AC system has a functional lifespan of about 15 years. If you are repairing a system that is nearing the end of its life, you may be wasting your money. You may also want to consider your refrigerant here. Manufacturers stopped using Freon back in 2010 and Freon production will end in 2020. This may be your perfect excuse to get rid of an old system that will soon be obsolete and get a more environmentally friendly alternative.
Efficiency
An inefficient system can be a huge drain on your energy expenses once summer hits. Systems on the market today have far superior energy saving technology than old systems. According to energy.gov, even if your current system is only ten years old, you could save between 20 to 40 percent on your cooling costs by replacing your current system with a new, more efficient one. That is no small savings.
Consider the amount of the repair against the potential cost savings of a new system and you may see that putting money into an old system that is draining your wallet in other areas doesn’t make sense.
Size
If you have had a continuous issue with your old system not getting your home sufficiently cool even when it is operating properly, your AC may just be too small for your home. This is one of the most common problems we see. This is another energy drain because a small system will work nonstop trying to keep your home at a cooler temperature. This may be another waste of a repair cost. A new system that is appropriately sized for your home will make a remarkable difference in your comfort and your energy bills.
Call a Professional
If you need AC repair in Philadelphia and need an expert’s advice, call the professionals at Affordable Fixes. We can take the mystery out of air conditioning repairs before you get hot under the collar.
The Perfect Time for Furnace Maintenance is NOW
Before you tuck that furnace away for the summer, you may want to be proactive and schedule a maintenance inspection with a local furnace repair center in Philadelphia PA. We know you are looking forward to warm weather but come next winter, you’ll be glad you took the time to do a maintenance tune-up on your heating system. In fact, this is a perfect time to set up a recurring annual maintenance plan for your whole HVAC system.
You Maintain Your Car, Right?
So why is maintenance important? Most homeowners take a set-it-and-forget-it approach when it comes to their heating and cooling systems. But when you consider that these household systems work nearly nonstop to keep your family comfortable, they deserve at least the same kind of care you would give your car.
Here’s What You Get
When you call a Philadelphia HVAC contractor for a seasonal maintenance visit, what you get is a thorough cleaning and inspection of your system. This inspection can often detect problems before they even have a need for repair. With today’s advanced technologies, you may want to leave this to a professional instead of a DIY project. This can ensure that come next winter, your furnace will be running at its optimal performance.
What do you get with a furnace maintenance visit? We’re glad you asked!
- The igniter will be checked to make sure it falls within the parameters that indicate the proper ignition. If not, it should be replaced
- The flame sensor will be checked to make sure the readings are correct.
- The burners will be cleaned. Some of the most common furnace problems are due to dirty, rusted, or misaligned burners. These can also cause a carbon monoxide issue inside your home.
- The heat exchanger will be inspected for cracks, holes, and rust. We don’t just eyeball it but use advanced tools and inspection systems to make sure that there are no indications of any holes or cracks.
- Any condensate lines will be blown out for debris removal. This is a common issue with some furnaces.
- The system static pressure will be checked.
- A combustion analysis will be done to measure CO levels.
Your Philadelphia PA furnace repair technician should also check any venting or drafting on the chimney, inspect any PVC piping, check any wiring or connections, check your thermostat, duct system, humidifier, and ductwork. As a homeowner, you should get a clean bill of health and written confirmation that the system is safe and clean.
Don’t Be Left Out in the Cold
Conducting a proactive cleaning and inspection on your furnace at the end of the winter season means you won’t be left out in the cold next winter when you go to turn it on.
Call your professional Philadelphia HVAC contractors at Affordable Fixes for your end of winter furnace inspection and you will be smiling next season when you know your furnace is working at its peak performance.