A central air conditioner can be pricey to maintain and repair. Given the expense of keeping it in good condition, you may welcome the opportunity to replace faulty parts rather than have the entire unit serviced.
However, you might wonder in what cases you should buy a replacement compressor rather than have your air conditioner or its components fixed. You can make this decision confidently by learning when it is better to replace the air conditioner compressor instead of having it repaired.
Length of Warranty
Most parts in a central air conditioner are covered by warranties for finite amounts of time. The amount of time that a warranty covers a part varies. However, most warranties last for at least three years if not longer.
Before you decide whether or not to have your central air compressor replaced or fixed, you should find out if it is under warranty. If it is still covered by this protection, you could have it serviced at no cost. The company that extends the warranty to it may repair it for free.
Depending on the damage, the warranty may also cover a brand new replacement at no cost to you. The warranty on the new part would then begin anew once the compressor is installed in the central air conditioner.
Age of the Air Conditione
The age of the central air conditioner also should influence whether or not you have the compressor replaced or repaired. In many cases, there is no sense in having an aged part in an older model unit repaired. Both the unit and the part are prone to breaking down sooner or later, which essentially wastes your money.
However, if the air conditioner is younger than 10 years old, you could have the compressor repaired with a relative degree of confidence. The age of the air conditioner should not present a threat to the compressor. You could get a good amount of wear and tear out of both before you need to have them replaced.
Compressors between the age of three and 10 can be either replaced or repaired. You may opt for replacement if the compressor is leaking, however. A leak in the compressor is indicated by symptoms like:
- Rattling in the outdoor unit
- The AC unit tripping the circuit breaker
- A scent of chloroform around the outdoor unit
Need to know more about replacing or repairing compressors? Call us today at 408-295-2182.