SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA-When the air conditioner stops cooling the home effectively, you need to have the HVAC unit serviced or replaced, and San Diego AC service expert Gabriel Carini is explaining how you can tell when you’re better off replacing.

“The most telling sign of a unit not functioning properly is when you notice the energy bill getting bigger and bigger when the price of energy isn’t increasing,” says Carini, the founder and owner of Carini Heating And Air Conditioning, the San Diego HVAC company.

Here are five signs that you might be better off replacing instead of repairing:

  1. If the air conditioning system is more than a decade old, consider replacing it with a new energy-efficient model. A new ENERGY STAR air conditioning unit can reduce your home’s heating and cooling costs by as much as 20 percent.
  2. When a unit needs frequent repairs aside from the routine twice a year maintenance appointment, you may be better off investing in a new unit. A good system shouldn’t need more than the maintenance service and maybe an occasional air conditioning repair or two.
  3. You’ve seen a steady increase in energy costs not related to the actual price of energy. Comparing utility bills from the last three years will show you if you are using more energy to cool your home, but make sure to compare the energy used and not just the bill since energy costs do increase.
  4. A noisy air conditioner is another sign of a problem that might warrant a replacement. Besides being irritating, noisy units can be caused by an undersized duct system or a problem with the indoor coil of your cooling equipment that is increasing your risk of an expensive repair or shortening the potential lifespan of the unit.
  5. If you have some rooms that are too hot, too cold or have excessive dust or humidity problems, it could mean the unit is on its way out. A relatively new unit shouldn’t be having these types of problems. Talk with an air conditioning service expert to make sure there aren’t other factors at play like a dirty filter, leaky ductwork or minor tuneup needed.

Sometimes these problems happen when the unit hasn’t been maintained very well or a basic task like changing the air filters regularly has been overlooked. Other times there may be a less expensive option than a completely new HVAC installation. The best way to prevent issues and avoid pricey repairs is to get biannual tuneups and be aware of any changes in the effectiveness of the unit.

“One thing we can guarantee is that we provide our customers an upfront and honest appraisal of their options between repairing and replacing, and we never pressure them to buy new equipment when they can repair instead,” says Carini, a San Diego heating and air service provider.

For more information about efficient heating and cooling, visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR website.

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