As a rule of thumb, repair an AC that's under about 10 years old with a small, isolated fix. Lean toward replacement when the system is 12–15+ years old, uses phased-out R-22 refrigerant, needs a major component like the compressor, or the repair cost approaches a large share of a new system.
The factors that actually matter
Age, the cost of the specific repair, the refrigerant the system uses, and how efficient it is today all weigh into the decision. A 6-year-old system with a bad capacitor is an easy repair. A 14-year-old R-22 system with a failed compressor is usually a replacement, because the part and refrigerant are expensive and you'd be reinvesting in aging equipment.
The refrigerant question
Older systems use R-22, which is no longer produced and has become costly. If your system uses R-22 and has a refrigerant leak, that alone often tips the math toward replacement. We'll tell you which refrigerant your system uses and what that means for the repair.
Our approach
We give you the honest repair cost first and explain whether the fix is likely to buy you years or just months. If a repair makes sense, we'll do the repair — we don't push replacement when a repair will serve you well. If replacement is the smarter long-term move, we'll lay out the options clearly.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a simple cost rule?
- A common guideline is to weigh the repair cost against the system's age — the older the system, the less it makes sense to invest in a big repair. We give you the numbers for your specific situation so you can decide without pressure.
Get an honest assessment
Learn more →Last updated June 15, 2026.