Repair or replace? An honest checklist
Updated October 2026
The worst feeling in this business is calling for a repair and leaving with a $14,000 replacement quote you're not sure you needed. We hear it on our phones all the time.
So here's the straight version, from a company that only does replacements. Plenty of the time, you should repair it.
Repair it when
- The system is under about 10 years old.
- It is one part: a capacitor, a contactor, a fan motor, a clogged drain line. Those are normal repairs, not a reason to replace.
- It cooled and heated fine right up until it stopped.
- The repair cost is small next to what a new system costs.
Replace it when
- It's 15 years old or more and needs a major repair.
- It runs on R-22 refrigerant (most systems installed before 2010). R-22 hasn't been made or imported in the US since 2020, so every recharge gets more expensive.
- The compressor or the coil failed on an older system. Those are the expensive parts.
- You've paid for repairs two or three summers in a row.
- It can't keep the house cool on hot days anymore, even when it's running.
- You want to switch to a heat pump, or your furnace and AC are both near the end.
The $5,000 rule of thumb
Multiply the age of the system by the repair cost. If the answer is over $5,000, replacing usually makes more sense. A 6 year old system with a $400 repair is 2,400: repair it. A 16 year old system with a $900 repair is 14,400: start pricing a replacement.
It's a rule of thumb, not a law. But it's a good gut check when someone is pushing you one way.
Where we fit in
Affordable Air Direct only installs new systems. We don't do repairs or tune-ups. If yours just needs a repair, call our parent company, Affordable Heating and Air, at affordableairla.com.
If it's time to replace, you can see your real installed price online in about 2 minutes, before anyone comes to your house.
Questions people ask
Will you send someone out to look at my broken AC?
No. Affordable Air Direct is installation only. For a repair or a diagnosis, call our parent company, Affordable Heating and Air.
How long should a central AC last in Los Angeles?
A lot of systems here run 15 years or more with normal care. Hard summers in the Valley and Ventura County, and skipped maintenance, wear them out sooner.
Is it worth replacing a working system?
Usually only if it's very old, on R-22, or you're switching to a heat pump for the rebate and lower install price. If it works and it's not that old, keep it.