Does your air conditioner need repairing or replacing?

In our hot Australian climate, having an air conditioner can make life so much more comfortable. But, like all appliances, air conditioners have a limited lifespan. Here are the top five signs that you need to repair or replace your air conditioner.

1. It’s just not cool

The most obvious sign that you need to repair or replace your air conditioner is that it just doesn’t cool. It depends on your unit, the climate you live in and how often you use it, but a well maintained and regularly serviced air conditioner can last 10 years or more. Manufacturers often give an estimate of the lifecycle of a particular model – refer to the original product specifications or manual to see if your air conditioner has come to the end of its life.

2. Your energy bills are getting bigger

During warmer and cooler months, you often see changes in your energy bills due to your heating and cooling use. If your bills appear to be higher than usual, think about doing an energy audit. This helps you to work out whether your air conditioning unit is working as well as it should.  

3. It’s giving off strange emissions

If your air conditioner gives off unusual smells, moisture or noise when you turn it on, it may need to be repaired or replaced.

• Strange smells may be caused by a unit that hasn’t been cleaned or maintained properly, or by a filter that needs replacing.
• An unusually loud air conditioner may be a sign that the fan isn’t working properly, one of the parts inside the unit has become loose, or that an internal mechanism has become clogged with dirt.
• Depending on the type of air conditioner you have, water dripping on the outside of your unit (i.e. outside the house) may be normal. However, moisture inside the house indicates that you may need to repair or replace your air conditioner.  

4. The temperature is inconsistent

Your air conditioner is supposed to provide a consistent air temperature at the setting you’ve chosen. If you find that certain rooms or spaces become cold zones, and others don’t seem to get any cool air at all, it might be a sign that your air conditioning unit is on the way out.

5. It needs excessive repairs

Ideally, your air conditioning unit should be serviced yearly to check for blockages and cleanliness. You may also need an occasional extra service or repair. However, if you find that you’re repairing your unit multiple times per year, replacing the air conditioning unit may be more economical and efficient in the long run.