24/7 Emergency Service

What's the Difference Between First Time & Lifetime A/C Replacement Costs?When it’s time to replace your home’s central air conditioner, if the process seems simple, quick and cheap, you’re probably doing something wrong. You’re likely neglecting to consider the lifetime costs of your new A/C, a factor that should be considered with any A/C replacement. Any time you purchase an HVAC system, there are two costs you need to consider – first-time and lifetime.

First-Time Costs

This is a combination of the purchase price of your new central air conditioner and the installation charge. It’s basically, the amount of money it takes to put a new working A/C in your home. When the first-time costs are low, this usually means the lifetime costs will be high.

Lifetime Costs

These are the cost of operating your air conditioner year after year, and include the most important cost, energy/utility bills, along with repairs and maintenance. Factors that influence lifetime costs include:

  • Energy efficiency. If you purchase a central A/C with the lowest possible energy efficiency (13 or 14 SEER – Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio), your air conditioner will require more electricity to provide the same amount of cooling as a higher-SEER model. In just a few years, your energy savings with a SEER 18 central A/C will exceed whatever savings you would have earned on the purchase of a cheaper, low-efficiency A/C.
  • Durability and design. A name-brand air conditioning system with a reputation for quality will deliver more efficient and dependable cooling, and last longer with fewer repairs, than a knock-off off-brand A/C.
  • Professional installation. If you buy a bargain A/C with a low installation charge, you run a good chance of getting an oversized or undersized cooling system. A professional installation calls for a cooling load calculation, accounting for a variety of factors in your home, before arriving at the right size A/C. Charging refrigerant and airflow adjustment also require skill and know-how.

A/C replacement calls for careful consideration of both first-time costs and lifetime costs. For professional help in this process, please contact us today at Aladdin Heating & Cooling, serving Bloomfield Hills, Grosse Pointe, Madison and other Detroit area communities.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Warren, Michigan about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about A/C replacement costs and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Tetiana-Yurchenko/Shutterstock”