How Long Do AC Units Typically Last?

If this is your first time buying an AC, you must have realized that it doesn’t come cheap, and you aren’t looking to go back to an AC shop anytime soon, right?

If you are like other homeowners, the question you are asking yourself is, how long do AC units typically last? The cool thing is that well-maintained units have a long lifespan (usually 10-15 years).

According to air conditioner repair services providers, one of the most important factors determining how long the cooling units last is how you use them. Of course, when you have your unit on an entire day, it’s bound to last for a much shorter time than another you have at specific hours of the day.

How do you give your AC a long life?

As mentioned above, an AC doesn’t come cheap, so you should take good care of the current appliance, so it lasts for as long as possible. How do you do this? Here are tips on how to go about it:

Install the right air conditioner

Everything begins here. If you install the wrong unit, you will not only have a horrible experience with it, but the unit will also have a short lifespan.

One of the most important factors to consider when buying an air conditioner is the size of the unit. You should note that when you buy a small air conditioner it will overwork, and in no time, you will have to replace it. On the other hand, a large unit will overcool the house, not to mention the incessant cycling.

To avoid this, take your time when buying the unit and ensure that you buy the right one for your house. If not sure about the right one to go for, get the input of an experienced contractor.

The other thing you need to consider is the energy star rating of the appliance. Of course, go for a unit with a high energy star rating. Even though the unit will be a little expensive to buy, it will save you a lot of money in the long run.

Give your appliance regular tune-ups

Regular tune-ups will keep your unit in excellent condition, so it has a long lifespan. You can do the tune-up yourself or hire a professional to help.

During the tune-ups, clean the ducts to ensure no clogs prevent the air from flowing as well as it’s supposed to. While at it, inspect the ducts to ensure that there are no leaks that will reduce the unit’s efficiency and increase your energy bill at the end of the month.

You also should inspect the air filters and clean them if dirty.

While you can tune up the appliance at any time of the year, the best time to do it is in the spring, right before summer, when the AC will be in most use.

If you will hire a contractor to do the tune-up for you, ensure the contractor is experienced and has been in the industry for a long time. The last thing you want is to hire someone that will damage the unit, and you are forced to replace it.

As a rule of thumb, avoid a contractor charging a much lower fee than what other contractors in the area are charging. This is because such a contractor is inexperienced and won’t give your unit the expert attention it deserves.

Use a programmable thermostat.

You must be wondering how a programmable thermostat will extend the life of your air conditioner, but according to HVAC repair companies Plainview, the programmable thermostat has a critical role in extending the life of the air conditioner.

As mentioned above, one factor that will determine how long the AC lasts is how you use the AC. With a programmable thermostat, you can set the AC to work less when you aren’t in the house, and as a result, your unit won’t work too hard when you don’t need it to. As you can guess, this extends the life of the AC as it doesn’t work all the time.

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