Replacing your home's air conditioner when needed can keep you more comfortable during summertime, and it also means avoiding the risk of having an older unit shut down on the hottest day of the year. Note a few signs that may indicate that it's time to replace your home's air conditioner so you can determine if this is the right choice for your space.
The house feels clammy
If your home feels clammy, meaning cold and damp, this may mean that your home's air conditioner is actually too big for the space, and it's cooling the home so quickly that it cannot remove humidity at the same time. Don't assume that you should just buy a dehumidifier to remove some of this dampness, as this humidity can collect behind walls and in the attic and may lead to the risk of mould and other water damage.
You've added to the home
If you've put an addition on the home or converted an attached garage into a living space, you may not be able to just extend the air conditioning vents into this area and have the space cooled properly. It might be necessary to upgrade the air conditioner to something with a larger motor and fan in order to create enough cool air and then also force it through those vents and into the home's new space.
Electric bills have suddenly spiked
If your electric bills are suddenly much higher one summer, this may mean that the air conditioner is working too hard to cool the space. An older motor or fan may be struggling to work properly, causing it to use more energy than it should. Older wires may also be draining power as they try to deliver the electricity the unit needs to run. It's good to replace the air conditioner when it's breaking down like this, before it fails completely.
The temperature is inconsistent
Your central air conditioner should maintain an even temperature in all rooms of your home, even the upstairs or back rooms. If the temperature is suddenly inconsistent in any area of the home, and especially if the areas closest to the compressor remain cool, this may mean that the fan and motor of the air conditioner are both struggling to create enough cool air and push it through the entire house. Depending on the age of the unit, it may be good to just replace it rather than trying to repair those pieces and keep the home consistently cool.
