(630) 435-9800
105 W 61st Westmont, IL 60559
As with anything in this world, your air conditioner can wear out. It will not live forever.
Different air conditioners break down at different rates depending on a number of factors. These factors include everything from the weather they’re subjected to, to how well they’re maintained, to a variety of other factors.
Perhaps you’re worried about the state of your AC? Maybe you feel as if it’s on its last leg? If so, there are quite few signs you can look for. Here are 4 signs that you need a new air conditioner.
Have you heard any loud, screechy, and unpleasant noises coming from your air conditioning unit? If so, there’s a decent chance that the mechanical components of your AC are impaired in some way.
Noises such as these might not require a total air conditioner replacement, but they could very well indicate the need for a repair. The longer you let these noises exist, the more damage that will be done to your AC. And the more damage that’s done, the more money you’re going to have to spend for repairs in the long run.
So, if you hear these noises, it’s important to get an air conditioning specialist in to see your unit as soon as possible. 
Perhaps your electricity bills have been skyrocketing as of late? Maybe they’re not any higher than usual, but are still higher than your neighbor’s bills? If so, your air conditioner could very well be the culprit.
There are a number of reasons for why your air conditioner could be upping the price of your energy bills. One reason is that it’s not as strong as it once was, and it must work harder than ever before. Another reason is that it quite simply isn’t as efficient as newer models of air conditioners on the market.
As time passes by, air conditioners get more and more efficient. A new model air conditioner will cost quite a bit of money in the short-term, but will pay huge dividends in the long run.
Do you notice your air conditioner moving at a snail’s pace? Does it take hours for temperature changes to take effect? The strength and wellbeing of your air conditioning will affect its functionality speed, sometimes making it difficult for it to do its job at all.
As the motor of an AC grows weaker, it struggles to keep up with temperature changes. If a motor is half as strong as it once was, it will take twice as long to cool down a house.
Sometimes, a simple repair can get your AC back to normal. But often times, it will be necessary to purchase an entirely new unit altogether.
As was noted above, after a while, your air conditioner will break down. There’s nothing you can do to prevent this.
While every air conditioner is different, in general, air conditioners last between 12 and 17 years. The older they get, the harder time they have performing their function. Not to mention, newer models of air conditioners are designed to be more energy efficient than older ones.
So, if your AC is reaching the 15-year mark, it might be time to seek out a new one. This is especially true if you’re not satisfied with your energy bills or cooling time.
If you checked a few boxes for the above signs that you need a new air conditioner, it might very well be time for you to purchase a new one. At the very least, a repair is needed.
Live in the Westmont, Illinois area? If so, we here at Hearthstone Heating & Air Conditioning are the people to see. Our team of professional technicians provides top-notch service at a reasonable price.
Interested? Contact us now!
Millie Hue says:
I appreciate when you explained that the unit might be working hard and increasing our energy bills when they are old, because they are not as strong as they were before. I wonder if I need a new unit for the property that I inherited from my parents, since it has been erected when I was still a toddler. It would be a good idea to talk to HVAC contractors and get their services to check on the system so that they can recommend the best course of action to prevent our bills from skyrocketing.
Mia Evans says:
Thanks for pointing out that we already need a new unit when the price of our energy bills has been increasing, since this might mean that it is working harder than it is supposed to be. I will follow your advice and consider getting an air conditioning installation this year, because I noticed that kind of issue for the past two months now. We never even changed our consumption nor added new appliances in our home.
Jake Williams says:
Excellent post outlining the warning indications that the air conditioner needs to be replaced. It’s excellent that you noted that if the air conditioner seems to make loud, odd noises, it may be a sign of an internal problem that needs to be replaced. This information sounds promising. I’ll check my home’s air conditioning and determine whether it has to be replaced. Thanks.
Henry Killingsworth says:
You made an interesting point when you mentioned that a weak motor will cause an AC system to have a hard time keeping up with temperature changes. I would think that it would be a good idea to work with an HVAC contractor when trying to replace an AC motor. Working with a contractor makes sense because they would prevent you from purchasing the wrong air conditioning motor.
Daisy James says:
It makes sense that you should get a new one if your energy bills are higher than normal. For the past couple of months, my husband and I have noticed how our energy bill has been getting higher each time, so we were wondering what could be causing this to happen. We’ll have to look into getting a new AC unit installed as soon as possible.
Iris Smith says:
Thank you for pointing out that an AC finds it difficult to keep up with temperature variations as its motor ages. According to my family, the furnace in the living room isn’t keeping the room warm. I’ll look for furnace repair services to remedy the issue.
John Carston says:
It helped when you said that you should consider reviewing your electricity bills to identify signs of problems. My cousin told me the other day that he was planning to have an air conditioning unit replacement that could offer updated and cost-effective functions. He asked if I had any idea what would be the best replacement option. I appreciate this informative article. I’ll tell him it will be much better if he consults a trusted air conditioning replacement service as they can help provide information.
Jessie Holloway says:
Thanks so much for pointing out that loud noises mean that some components of your AC unit are impaired. My parent’s AC unit has been making a loud bang when it starts up and we’re not sure why. They’ve been looking into getting it replaced so they won’t get heart attacks every time the thing starts up.
Braden Bills says:
I need to get a new air conditioning installed for my home. It makes sense that I would want to get a professional to help me out with this. They would be able to ensure that I put things together properly.
Taylor Hicken says:
You made a good point when you shared that it is best to replace your old AC if it is reaching the 15-year mark. My father just mentioned the other day that he is planning to replace all the AC units in our home as they have been used for over 15 years. I will suggest to him find a reliable service that is able to replace them.
Olivia Smart says:
Thank you for explaining that a high energy bill can indicate that you need a new AC unit. We noticed last year that our energy bill at the end of the summer was very high. We’ll consult with an HVAC contractor and see if he would recommend getting our unit replaced.
Eli Richardson says:
It really helped when you talked about air conditioners and how to know if we might need a replacement. Recently, my wife and I started to use our cooling system, but we realized how it’s making some odd sounds. We won’t stand another summer without out cool air, so we’ll be sure to check it out. Thanks for the advice on HVAC units and what their malfunctions might mean.
Chris Pederson says:
I had no idea that AC units have motors in them and that they can go slow. The last thing I need is a slow AC unit once the heat picks up where I live. That should be in a couple of weeks so I need to have my AC unit serviced soon.
Zachary Tomlinson says:
I had no idea that if your air conditioner is making weird noises, it might be a sign that it needs replacement or repairs. My uncle noticed that his air conditioner is making a banging noise lately. Hopefully, this article can convince him to hire an HVAC repair expert around his area.
Megan Alder says:
It’s interesting to know that aside from the AC not cooling your space anymore, other ways to know if it’s not working properly is by receiving high energy bills. My husband and I noticed that our bills have gone up drastically, and knowing that the reason why it happened it’s because the AC just convinced me to buy a new one soon. I will start looking for an AC contractor that can take care of it, either fixing it or replacing it.
Wade Joel says:
I was not aware that high energy bills can help you to decide to call a professional AC contractor. My wife and I are thinking about how to improve our AC unit’s efficiency, and we are looking for advice. I will make sure to contact a professional HVAC contractor to help us.
Patrick Ross says:
I like what you said about getting a new air conditioner if it takes too long for your temperature changes to take effect. My sister wants to make sure that her home gets cool enough in the coming weeks. I’ll share this information with her so that she can look into her options for air conditioners that can help her with this.
Patrick Ross says:
I like what you said about getting a new AC unit if yours make unpleasant noises. My sister’s been hearing some odd noises in her home recently. I’ll share this information with her so that she can look into her options for air conditioners that can help her with this.
Wade Joel says:
My wife noticed that our AC unit is making weird noises when operating, and we are looking for advice about what to do. I liked that you mentioned unpleasant noises coming from your AC unit will be a sign that you need to call a professional to help you. I will let her know about your recommendations to choose the right AC contractor to help us.
Kristofer Van Wagner says:
Hey, I appreciate that you shared having new air conditioning installed is an excellent way to ensure our energy bill is efficient and low. The other day my sister mentioned that her energy bill was on the lower end, despite cranking up the A/C in this scorching weather. I suspect that she had a new A/C installed since she just moved to her new apartment. I think I will call an HVAC contractor and have a new A/C installed too.
Franklin White says:
Thanks for explaining how an air conditioner that makes a bunch of weird noises might need to get repaired or replaced. My air conditioner has been making loud weird scratchy noises since last night. I’ll hire a professional to come look at it for me and see if it needs to be replaced or repaired.
Kate Hansen says:
It’s good to know that an air conditioner lasts about 17 years. My husband and I just recently moved into an older home that has a very old AC, and it has been having some issues with keeping our home cool so we were wondering if we should get it replaced. We’ll have to look into hiring an HVAC contractor to come and install a new one for us.
Charlotte Fleet says:
I didn’t know that weird noises could be a sign that there is something wrong with the mechanical part of your air conditioning. My son was playing near the ac the other day and mentioned that it was making funny sounds. I think we should consult with a professional to see if we need to get a new air conditioner installed.
Eileen Benson says:
I’m glad you pointed out that our air conditioner may be able to be repaired instead of replaced if it starts making unpleasant noises. I started to hear a loud screeching noise from my home’s AC when it turned on yesterday afternoon. Thanks for helping me feel prepared to discuss our options with a professional HVAC service!
Thomas Jameson says:
It’s good to know that a new air conditioner to help lower your energy bills. My wife and I would like to pay less for our energy. We’ll be sure to look further into our options for getting a new AC unit to help us do this.
Elisabeth Southgate says:
Thank you for your information on replacing an AC. You said that AC should last around 12-17 years. This makes me wonder how old my AC is.
Ellie Davis says:
I have noticed weird noises coming from our A/C unit. It’s interesting that you mentioned it could be a sign to call a professional. It makes sense that the longer you let those noises to continue, the more damage to your unit.
Ellie Davis says:
I have noticed that my A/C is taking too long to reach the desired temperature. It is nice that you mentioned that it could be a sign to replace the A/C unit. I will get in contact with an A/C specialist to evaluate the options for a new A/C unit.
Sam Li says:
I like what you said about air conditioners and how the average system lasts anywhere from 12 to 17 years. Getting your AC unit repaired is essential in order to keep cool this summer. My friend wants to get his AC system checked out, so I’ll help him find the best HVAC contractor in the area.
Sariah Meagle says:
Maybe the air conditioner needs a new replacement since I’ve heard some unpleasant noises from it. I think I’m racking up high energy bills because of it as well. I’m grateful that you pointed out that slow functionality is a reason for replacement so I’ll replace my air conditioner soon.
Amy Winters says:
Thanks for pointing out that a new air conditioner will be more efficient and will save you money on your energy bill. Yesterday I was talking to my neighbor about the hot weather, and I found out they’re paying far less for energy than I am. They recently got a new air conditioner, so maybe I should consider following in their footsteps!