Should You Replace Both Your Home's Outdoor and Indoor Air Conditioning Units?

When it comes to replacing your home's air conditioning system, it is important to consider the pros and cons of replacing both the outdoor and indoor units. While it is ultimately your decision, HVAC experts recommend that you replace both units in order to avoid a variety of problems such as reduced efficiency, periodic failures, and increased cooling costs. Additionally, if the indoor and outdoor units don't match, the dealer or manufacturer could void the warranty or deny the repairs covered by the warranty. If your system is 10 years old or older, it is likely more efficient to replace both units.

When faced with a faulty core component in a basic system, consider its performance. If you have a system that lasts more than 10 years and your condenser or compressor fails outside, you face an expensive replacement. It is important to remember that there are three individual units in your central air system: the furnace, the indoor unit evaporator coil, and the outdoor coils. Any of these components can be changed one at a time.

To properly adapt your air conditioning system, you must hire a qualified HVAC contractor to replace your outdoor and indoor units. Keep in mind that units manufactured by different manufacturers are not considered compatible, even if they have the same SEER rating. To extend the life of your heating or air conditioner, you should schedule professional air conditioning maintenance and tune-up at least once every six months. A new air conditioning system comes with a manufacturer's or factory warranty that covers breakdowns due to defects or faults.

The choice between air conditioning service to replace the outdoor unit or a total system replacement depends on several factors. Replacing one unit will cause the entire system to be inefficient, leading to premature system failures and frequent air conditioning system repairs. Replacing a compressor in an air conditioning system can be quite expensive; it's one of the most expensive repairs in the industry.