Because A/C energy costs can account for more than 50 percent of your electric bill during peak heating and cooling months, it’s important to make sure your system is running as efficiently as possible. So before you spend money to repair your A/C system or invest in a new one here are some questions to help evaluate the condition of your existing system.

A preventive maintenance program protects your air conditioner against unexpected breakdown and keeps your A.C operating as optimally as possible and helps you avoid large and costly repairs.

The average AC System life is 10 to 15 years.When major repairs are needed and the parts are not under warranty and these costs approach the price of a new air conditioner, it’s time to consider an AC replacement.

Low refrigerant, dirty filters, duct leaks, failing parts, lack of A/C maintenance, old system, and a bad install are all reasons your air conditioner itself will cause high electric bills.

If your system is 10 years old or older and you answered yes to any of these questions, you may benefit from replacing your system and taking advantage of lower long-term costs.

It’s actually more cost-effective in the long run to replace the entire system rather than just one part. That’s because A/C components are designed to work together as matched systems, so by replacing only one part of the system, you can’t ensure that it will work as efficiently as possible.