Welcome to my most popular regular topic of the year! (Well, I’m only guessing. I like it a lot!) This is the post where I ask you, loyal readers, to do your own reviews of the air conditioning systems that have kept you super-cool through summer. This is a “performance review” or a “report card” about how your AC has worked over the last season. You can use this information to help make important decisions about the future of your air conditioning in Vonore, TN, such as:
- Should you replace the AC with a new one before next summer?
- Does the AC have a malfunction you haven’t paid much attention to?
- Do you need to change the way you use the air conditioner to improve its performance and save energy?
- Seriously, should you replace the AC with a new one?
I put the last one on the list twice, because it’s the most important question to ask about your AC once you’ve had it for several years. You want to make the choice about when to replace the air conditioner—you don’t want the air conditioner to make the choice by breaking down!
On to the Analysis and Review of Your AC!
Let’s get to the heart of this: asking yourself what kind of rating your AC has earned over the summer. I’ve done this with letter grades before. This year, I’m going simple: was your AC “good,” “fine,” or “bad”? Think of whatever those adjectives mean to you, then apply them to your cooling system.
Good!
If you picked this, it’s probably because your AC:
- Worked when you needed it to
- Kept the house cooled to your desired temperature
- Ran with no odd noises
- Didn’t require any repairs
If your AC is still under 15 years old, this level of performance usually means you won’t have to do anything more aside from continuing to schedule routine maintenance for the system. That maintenance is important—it’s likely the reason your AC works so well.
Fine!
You’re not excited about your air conditioner’s performance, but not irritated either:
- It ran reliably
- You had the temperatures you needed, although perhaps it took longer to get there
- You sometimes had to adjust the thermostat a bit to find ideal comfort
- The AC sometimes gave indications it needs repairs
This can be a warning to have professionals check for a repair problem with the air conditioner. If it’s getting up in age (approaching 15 years), it may be time to think about a replacement.
Bad!
This adjective covers plenty of territory, none of them positive:
- The AC stopped working at one point and needed repairs
- The house feels too warm most of the time
- The air conditioner is making more noise than usual
- You generally don’t feel you can trust the AC to work when you need it
For an AC older than 10 years old, these problems are warnings you may soon need a replacement. A younger air conditioner with these issues is calling out for help from professional technicians. And if you’ve neglected regular maintenance, a “bad” performance review is a huge reminder to schedule it each year.
If you want expert advice about your AC’s future, that’s what we’re here for!