Unfortunately, not every air conditioning technician has your best interests in mind. You call for a repairman because your central air conditioner is leaking. He tells you a seemingly simple repair is very expensive and suggests you replace the entire unit. You trust his expertise against your own, but are skeptical about his intentions. How do you know he is being honest with you?
This is a difficult spot for many air conditioner owners. The technician may be absolutely right—there is a point when replacing a unit entirely could actually save you money. Repairing a leak, adding refrigerant and replacing a pump can cost nearly the same as buying a new low-end unit. However, many HVAC techs may have shady motives and try to scam you out of a few bucks. You need to educate yourself to avoid getting scammed (always get a second opinion!).
HVAC cooling technicians often use a rule of thumb to determine whether to repair or replace their customers’ central air conditioners. It’s called the “5,000 rule.” Take the age of your air conditioner and multiply it by the estimated cost of repair. If the number is below 5,000, repairing the unit is acceptable. If greater than 5,000? Strongly consider replacing the whole unit.
Newer units—even low-end units—feature energy saving capabilities making replacement a more viable option. A brand new unit costing anywhere from $4,000 to $7,000 may save you 20-30% on heating and cooling costs.
Many technicians apply a blanket rule—if your unit is older than 15 years and needs repairs, replace it without question.
The cooling technicians at Hot Point Heating and Cooling aren’t big fans of blanket rules.
We believe in approaching air conditioner repair on a case-by-case basis. Depending on the frequency of use, age of the unit, the unit’s repair history, and current products on the market, our HVAC maintenance professionals can help you determine whether to repair or replace your central air conditioner.
You can trust us to help you make the best decision. And, since all of our repair work is done at upfront, flat rates, there’s no chance we lowball the estimate just to stick it to you later. The price we quote is the price you pay, every time.
