How Long Should an AC Last?

Another Question that homeowners frequently have is about the longevity of an AC.  There are a few factors that go into answering that question. The first (and most important) factor is where you live.

Location

AC’s in some parts of the country work extremely hard compared to other parts of the country.  Below is a map of how many hours on average we need to cool our homes in the summer.  My area, Houston, is at 2200 hours.  For Comparison, Michigan is at 400-600.  AC’s last much longer in Michigan.  I Googled the question and I got answers ranging from 8-10 years to 15-20 years.  Both answers are correct depending on where you live.

Installation

The quality of installation goes a long way in determining the lifespan of your AC.  The best AC (in my opinion Trane) with the worst install will shorten the lifespan of your equipment.

Maintenance

Having a tech out to address minor issues before we have a failure helps extend the life of the unit. It’s fairly common when I see units lasting over 15 years that they’ve had maintenance performed annually on the unit.

Usage

If you’re a polar bear and like low 70 degree temps on 100 degree days, your AC will work very hard to deliver that.  That’s assuming the unit is sized right and performing optimally.