The older your air conditioner becomes, the less appealing the idea of repairing it becomes. Often, when your AC is already old, you are better off spending your money on a new unit than on expensive repairs. The idea is that your AC may just break again before long. Plus, a new unit is generally more energy-efficient. However, the decision of whether to replace or repair an older AC unit is not always cut and dry. If the repairs you need are pretty inexpensive, it may, indeed, be worth repairing the unit. Here are two such repairs that are often worth making, even on an old air conditioner.
Replacing the Contactor
Your air conditioner's contactor is basically a power switch. It will either allow electricity to flow to your air conditioner, or it will not. If the contactor breaks or stops working, your air conditioner won't turn on at all. And it is not at all unusual for a contactor to break, especially on an older air conditioner. This can happen due to wear and tear or because someone bumps into the AC unit with a lawn mower or another heavy item.
The contactor is a small, uncomplicated part. On top of that, AC contractors can usually buy and install an off-brand or generic one for much less than a name-brand one. The part only takes a little while to replace, so you won't pay a lot for labor. As such, this is often a worthwhile repair to make, even if your AC is old.
Leaking or Plugged Condensate Drain Tube
Is there water on the floor around your indoor AC unit? Chances are you have a plugged or leaky condensate drain tube. This happens quite often, especially if you don't change your filter as often as you should. Dirt makes its way into the condensate drain tube and eventually blocks it. Water then pours out around the drain tube, making your puddle. Sometimes, the tube may crack. This also allows water to leak out.
A condensate drain tube only costs a few dollars. An HVAC contractor can easily pull the old tube off, cut a new one to size, and install the new tube. It would be silly to replace an AC unit just because the condensate drain tube was clogged; it's such a simple fix.
When an AC unit is old, it is not always worth fixing. But if the problem is just a plugged condensate drain tube or a worn contactor, you'll want to consider repairs.
Contact a professional for more information about air conditioning repair.
Share25 July 2023
As a sufferer of severe allergies, I have to be on the alert for allergens in the air everywhere that I go. Just going indoors isn't enough— an office with a rattly old air conditioner can be as difficult to breath in as a field of pollen-filled flowers. But I try to make sure that my own home, at least, is a safe haven. That's why I use high quality HEPA filters for my air conditioner. My HVAC professional explained to me that the HEPA filters are the best way to ensure that no allergens make it into the air that I breathe at home. When I began using them, it made a big difference to my ability to breathe in my home, and I haven't looked back since. If you're an allergy sufferer, HEPA filters might be able to make the difference for you as well.
