Six signs your system is on its last legs — and the questions to ask any contractor before you buy.
Nobody wants to replace their AC. But dragging a dying system through one more summer usually costs more than getting ahead of it. Here are the six signs we look for.
1. It's 12–15 years old
Coastal Florida is brutal on outdoor equipment. Even well-maintained systems rarely make it past 15 years here — salt air, humidity, and constant run hours add up.
2. R-22 refrigerant
If your system still runs on R-22 (phased out in 2020), a leak can cost more than a new system. Check the nameplate on the outdoor unit.
3. Rising bills with no change in habits
A system loses efficiency slowly. If your July bill is $80 higher than it was two years ago at the same thermostat setting, the system is telling you.
4. Repeat repairs
The rule of thumb: if a single repair is more than half the cost of replacement, or you've had three service calls in two years, stop patching.
5. It never quite feels comfortable
Hot rooms, cold rooms, sticky air, long run times. Modern variable-speed equipment solves most of this — old single-stage equipment can't.
6. Loud outdoor unit
A grinding, rattling, or newly-loud condenser usually means a failing compressor or fan motor. Both are expensive.
Ask any contractor these three questions
- Will you run a Manual J load calculation, or size by square footage?
- What's the labor warranty (not just the parts warranty)?
- Are you registering the equipment with the manufacturer on my behalf?