How Long Do AC Units Last and How to Make Your AC Last Longer

There is no need to explain the importance of having a quality AC system serving your Dallas-area home – the heat of our summers speaks for itself. But how long do AC units last, and is there anything that you can do to make it last longer? We’ll focus our attention on those two questions in the article below. 

 

If you are ready to have a new air conditioning unit installed in your home, Walker Air • Plumbing • Electric should be your first call, book today. We have done this kind of work for decades and our friendly team will make sure it’s a positive experience from start to finish, and we know the answer to the question “how long do AC units last” for each model you may look at. We look forward to serving you!

 

A General Guideline to How Long Do AC Units Late

As you might imagine, there is no one set amount of years your air conditioning unit will last when answering the question how long do AC units last. These things vary from one brand to the next, and just from one unit to the next. You never really know how long something mechanical is going to hold up under regular use, after all. 

With that disclaimer in place, we can expect a good air conditioning unit from a reputable brand to last as long as 20 years when treated properly. It should be noted that such a lifespan is relatively common among modern pieces of equipment, but you probably won’t get quite that long of a life if your AC is already aged. For instance, if you have a unit serving your home that is already 10 years old, it features technology that is a decade behind current standards, and probably won’t last as long as what is on the market today. 

 

What Can You Do?

Rather than sitting back and just hoping for the best with your air conditioner, it’s a good idea to think proactively about how you can encourage a longer lifespan from the unit. Here are some basic tips to keep in mind on this point –

 

• Filter, filter, filter. This is a tip you will see come up over and over again when reading about air conditioners, and for good reason. The easiest, and one of the most important, things you can do for the health of your air conditioner is simply to change the air filter regularly. On most systems, the filter is simple for a homeowner to change, and buying a new filter is not a significant expense. Make it a point to keep a fresh filter in your system and the unit as a whole can be expected to perform better. 
• Ongoing maintenance. Changing the filter is a good maintenance point for you to handle on your own, but there are other tasks that should be turned over to professionals like the technicians at Walker Air • Plumbing • Electric. Consider having preventive maintenance performed annually with a WAM plan – such as before the start of the hot weather season – to keep the components that make up your system working properly and to spot problems before they get bigger. 
• Smart thermostat. That’s right, using a smart thermostat can actually improve the lifespan of your air conditioner. This is because the powerful control you have over the system when using a smart thermostat will help you streamline how your system works and you can reduce strain on the unit as a result. For example, you can easily set programs that will have the air conditioner working when you need the home to be cooled, while giving it a rest when you aren’t around. Pay attention to your system settings and you might stretch out the timeline on your current AC unit. 
• Pay attention. Another important role you can play in the health of your air conditioner is simply to pay attention to its health as the days go by. Specifically, that means checking in on the outdoor condenser unit to make sure it isn’t clogged up with debris or becoming overgrown with long grass from the yard. Also, back inside, listen to how your system runs and get help if you hear sounds that don’t usually occur when the system works properly. 

Getting a longer lifespan from your current AC unit can mean cost savings, which is always a good thing. At the same time, an older system that struggles to keep up could provide poor performance and require excessive energy to operate. Deciding on the right time to upgrade your unit to a new model can be tricky, so reach out to Walker Air • Plumbing • Electric right away for advice from our expert team who can answer how long do AC units last and more.