Advice and News •
The first hot days of spring and summer are here. Your finger’s hovering over the air conditioner remote, twitching in readiness. But what if you hit that button and your air conditioner grinds into noisy, dripping, groaning, inefficient action? Or worse still, nothing happens? No cooling breeze, no relief from the heat. You’re stuck with a dilemma: repair or replace? Knowing whether air conditioner repair is an option for you will save you time and money! Here’s how you can tell.
The age of your air conditioner
The age of your air conditioner is one of the most important factors in dictating whether air conditioner repairs are an option for you. If it’s too old, you may not be able to source replacement parts to repair it. The manufacturer may have even gone out of business!
Sourcing parts for an old model can be costly and time-consuming. Most repairers won’t have them in stock, meaning that your air conditioner will be out of action while you wait for the crucial part to arrive.
More importantly, even if you manage to find a suitable replacement part for an older-model air conditioner, it’s likely that other parts will soon fail with wear and tear. You’ll soon find yourself back at square one. Replacing a part on an air conditioner that’s on its last legs is pointless. It’s just a temporary Band-Aid solution to a much bigger problem.
Who made your air conditioner
Snapped up a bargain basement air conditioner from a brand you’ve never heard of before? If your air conditioner was manufactured by a lesser-known company from overseas, brace yourself for the ‘swings and roundabouts’ effect. In other words, what you may have saved in initial outlay, you’re about to lose in repair costs; especially when you factor in the cost and delay of getting replacement parts shipped to Australia from overseas. Worse still, you may also struggle to find a repairer both familiar with, and willing to repair, your el cheapo air conditioner.
Cost and efficiency
Just because your air conditioner is capable of being repaired, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you should choose repair over replacement. Your air conditioning repair could cost you a fortune. You might be better off putting the money towards a replacement air conditioner that will last you much longer.
It’s not just about up-front costs either. You need to crunch the numbers and work out the running costs of your existing air conditioner as opposed to the projected running costs of a newer model. You may be shocked to discover that your older air conditioner costs a lot more to run. Installing a new air conditioner can be a savvy investment so long as you pay close attention to its energy efficiency. You can do this by comparing the energy ratings of the air conditioners on the market. Check out for more information.
Also, getting an accurate quote as to the likely cost of repairs before any work is undertaken is essential. It’ll also put you in a position where you can make an informed decision as to whether to repair or replace your air conditioner.
Whether your air conditioner is still under warranty
If your air conditioner is still under warranty, the impact of repairing or replacing your unit will be softened significantly. You’ll still be up for some inconvenience while your air conditioner is out of action. However, you’ll be protected from the financial nightmare of having to find the money in your budget for unplanned repairs.
You’ll be laughing if you’ve opted for a well-established brand that enjoys a good reputation for honouring their warranties. That’s not always the case though. The market’s flooded with cheap and nasty imports that don’t give you the same peace of mind: in fact, in some cases, the warranty is simply not worth the paper it’s printed on or is completely unenforceable in Australia.
You’ve outgrown your air conditioner
Deciding whether to go down the path of air conditioning repair or replacement’s also about deciding whether your existing air conditioner still meets your needs and lifestyle. Older models don’t have the same features and efficiency of newer models. For example, you probably can’t operate your older air conditioner remotely through your phone or device. The air conditioner you had installed 10 years ago when you were newlyweds might not now suit the needs of your growing family or a recent reconfiguration of your floor plan. A split system might have worked well for you in the past but perhaps you’re now considering an upgrade to ducted air conditioning. Your air conditioner breakdown may actually be a blessing in disguise, giving you a much-needed opportunity to step back and to reassess whether air conditioner repairs are enough or whether a complete overhaul of your cooling system is in order.
Your air conditioner’s a dinosaur: environmental concerns and the decision to repair or replace
Your air conditioner may be an environmental ticking time bomb! Given the heavy regulation of the air conditioning industry, particularly in relation to the handling of harmful hydrochloroflourocarbons (HCFCs) commonly found in air conditioner refrigerants. Australia’s a signatory to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Delete the Ozone Layer and as such, is active in phasing out harmful HCFCs. It’s possible that your old air conditioner utilises a gas that’s being phased out, making repair an impossibility.
Noise, mould, smell and other considerations
Air conditioning repair may be an option for you but your air conditioner could be hiding a dark and furry secret: mould. Alternatively, it could be noisy and smelly and no repair’s going to fix those problems. Sometimes you’ve just got to bite the bullet and put your health first. If your air conditioner repair uncovers other problems, a replacement unit may be a better option for you. After all, your peace of mind’s an important consideration in deciding between air conditioner repair and replacement.
Working out whether to opt for air conditioner repair or replacement’s a difficult balancing exercise. There are a lot of factors to be taken into account. It helps to talk to an expert who can give you honest and practical advice as to your options for air conditioner repair before you make a decision you might regret later.
Can’t decide between air conditioning repair and replacement? We do both! For some honest, good old-fashioned advice, talk to us today at H & H Air Conditioning in Brisbane on (07) 3276 1800 or on the Sunshine Coast (07) 5477 1777.