Serving Clovis, Portales & Surrounding Areas

Do You Need a New AC When the Compressor Dies?

At some point, the AC cooling your home will need to be replaced. The endpoint for many air conditioners is when the compressor dies. Because the compressor is the literal heart of the system—the component that causes the refrigerant to circulate and allows it to evaporate and condense—when it goes, it often means the entire AC needs to be replaced. Although a new compressor can be put in, the more money-saving option is to go with a new air conditioner. Or even a complete HVAC system replacement.

But, is this always true? No, not necessarily. We’re going to look below at the different dead compressor situations and the best options for the future.

Always Have Repair Experts Look at the AC First

When your air conditioning system stops working, please call experts for air conditioning repair in Clovis, NM. The issue may not be a failed compressor, in which case repairs are a possibility. However, if the repair would cost more than 50% of the price of a new air conditioner, a replacement is more cost-effective.

The Different Dead Compressor Cases

A professional diagnosed your home’s AC and delivered an unambiguous verdict: the compressor has burnt out and cannot be repaired. Do you replace the compressor? The air conditioner?

You have four distinct choices:

  1. Replace the compressor only: If your air conditioning system is 10 years old or less, than the compressor may be covered in the warranty. If this is the case, then replacing only the compressor is the best choice, since the warranty will cover the cost. (Remember that you must have regular system maintenance to keep the warranty in force—the warranty exists for this type of situation.)
  2. Replace the compressor and condenser coil: This is an alternative to making a full air conditioning replacement, which is to only replace the compressor and the condenser coil, i.e. the components in the outdoor condenser cabinet. It costs less than a full air conditioner replacement (which also replaces the indoor evaporator coil) and if you’re on a tight budget this might be the best option.
  3. Replace the air conditioning system: This means replacing the compressor and the indoor and outdoor coils. Although this is costlier than the above option, it’s the superior one because you’ll receive a new warranty on the system and can avoid the efficiency issues mismatched components. This is a full upgrade for the air conditioner and saves you the future hassle of needing to replace the indoor coil.
  4. Replace the HVAC system: You can go for the whole deal: replace the air conditioner, the furnace, and the air handler. Although this is a major investment, it often makes sense because the furnace may be the same age as the AC and ready to retire as well. It’s more cost-effective to have all these jobs done at one time rather than spread out over a couple of years, and the resulting system will work at high efficiency. You can add extra features as well, such as Wi-Fi thermostats and zone control systems.

You can count on our experts to provide the advice you need for the best air conditioning future.

Mark Carpenter Plumbing serves the Clovis, NM area. Call us today at (575) 222-2551 to schedule a service for your home.
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