Cooling · decision guide
Repair or replace your AC?
The short answer: repair a young AC, replace an old one with a compressor or refrigerant problem. Under 10 years old with a failed capacitor or fan motor? Repair. Past 12 to 15 years with a refrigerant leak or compressor failure, especially on the old R-410A generation, replacement usually wins, because you'd be pouring money into equipment the industry is actively phasing out.
Signs replacement wins
- AC is 12 to 15+ years old with a major failure
- Compressor failure or refrigerant leak on an R-410A system
- Repair quote is more than half the cost of a new system
- House feels clammy even when the temperature reads right
- Cooling bills climbing year over year
- Second major repair in two summers
Signs repair wins
- AC is under 10 years old
- The fix is a capacitor, contactor, fan motor, or sensor
- System is still under parts warranty
- First repair the unit has needed
- The rest of the system checks out healthy during diagnosis
How to think it through
The decision framework
The refrigerant question changes the math
New ACs use R-454B under the 2025 federal transition. Older R-410A systems can still be repaired, but refrigerant and parts costs for the old generation are rising, and a major refrigerant repair on a 13-year-old R-410A unit buys you time on borrowed equipment. That's not a scare tactic, it's the honest supply picture.
Apply the 50% rule
Installed AC replacements in the St. Louis metro typically run $5,000 to $10,000. If the repair quote crosses half the cost of a comparable new system, common with compressors and evaporator coils, replacement usually wins.
Small parts are repairs; big parts are decisions
Capacitors, contactors, fan motors, and thermostats are honest repairs at almost any age. Compressors, evaporator coils, and refrigerant leaks are decision points: expensive parts on a system whose other components share the same age and wear.
St. Louis humidity raises the stakes
An aging AC that still 'cools' but no longer dehumidifies leaves the house clammy at 74 degrees. If you're running the thermostat lower every summer to feel comfortable, the system is telling you something a repair won't fix.
The honest verdict
Young system, small part: repair it and move on. Old system, big part: get replacement priced before you approve the repair, because you deserve to see both numbers side by side. Any company that quotes a $3,000 repair without mentioning the replacement option isn't giving you the full picture, that's exactly what our free second opinion is for.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
- My AC isn't cooling, does that mean it's dead?
- Usually not. The most common causes are airflow problems (dirty filter, blocked coil), electrical parts like capacitors, or low refrigerant from a leak. Some are cheap fixes; a leak on an old system is a decision point. Our AC-not-cooling guide covers what to check before you call.
- Can I just add refrigerant every summer?
- You can, but it's throwing money at a leak, refrigerant doesn't get 'used up,' so needing a top-off means it's escaping. Repeated R-410A top-offs on an aging unit often cost more over two summers than the down payment on a system that doesn't leak.
- Is it worth replacing before the AC actually dies?
- Sometimes, yes. A planned replacement happens on your schedule at today's prices with time to compare quotes. An emergency replacement happens during a July heat wave when you'll take whatever's available. If your system is past 15 years, getting a replacement number now costs nothing.
Keep going
Want a straight answer for your home?
Bring us your situation, or another company's quote, and we'll tell you honestly which way the math points. Our comfort advisors don't work on commission, so the answer doesn't change based on what we'd sell.