How Long Will Your Central Air Conditioner Last?

Maintenance and do-it-yourself upkeep can extend your A/C system’s lifespan.

With a particularly intense summer making its way to an end, many homeowners in Sussex, Morris, Union and Somerset counties have been thinking about the state of their home cooling equipment. How has your central air conditioning been fairing these days? Are you staying reliably comfortable in your home on sweltering afternoons, or are you finding uncomfortably warm spots throughout your house?

Dixon Energy is proud to employ the hardest working, most highly skilled team of HVAC technicians in northern New Jersey. We’re happy to take you through how long your central A/C will likely last — and when it might be time to upgrade to new, more efficient cooling equipment.

Lifespan of Central A/C Systems

Generally speaking, central A/C equipment lasts between 10 and 15 years before needing to be replaced. However, there are things you can do to potentially extend its life expectancy, including the following:

1. Check your air filters each month during peak HVAC usage months. Clean or change dirty filters as directed by our A/C owner’s manual.
2. Keep your outdoor A/C equipment clear of weeds, plant life, trash and sundry yard debris so it can breathe.
3. Arrange annual A/C maintenance from Dixon Energy.
4. Keep your ears alert for odd sounds that might indicate operational issues. These sounds include clanging, screeching, buzzing and bubbling.

With proper maintenance, a central A/C system might last closer to 20 years, but you need to know when it’s time to make the change to new equipment.

Repair or Replace?

If you’re having more frequent A/C issues that require visits from our technicians, it is worth considering when it makes more sense to replace your equipment instead of paying for another repair.

Here are three scenarios where replacing your central A/C unit could be a better value:

• The necessary repairs cost more than half the cost of a replacement.
• It uses R-22 refrigerant, which is no longer produced. Replacement parts and refrigerant for these systems are quite expensive.
• It has an efficiency rating that is lower than 13 SEER.

If you bring in a Dixon Energy HVAC technician to your home for an A/C repair, we will look at your system and make recommendations on whether it might be time to look at a replacement cooling system.

High-Efficiency A/C Equipment — Courtesy of Dixon Energy!

Making the change to a new, higher-efficiency central cooling system can dramatically lower your electricity consumption and boost your summer comfort. At Dixon Energy, we sell, install and service top-quality cooling systems from Amana and other trusted brands. We’ll work closely with you to identify the right product, and then we’ll install it quickly. Depending on the efficiency rating of your new system, you might even qualify for generous rebates and tax credits that will lower your initial expenses.

Let’s take a look at your new central A/C options together — contact Dixon Energy for a FREE estimate on new cooling equipment. We’re ready to help!