If you have gotten your AC units professionally checked, you might have been told to replace your ac units. Now you might be wondering if replacing just the outside unit would be okay. Well, the simple answer is no.
If you ask professionally AC installation technicians, they would say that when you replace the outdoor AC unit in your home, it is essential to install an indoor counterpart so that both work at full capacity. Replacing one can result in reduced efficiency and frequent failures; this will cost more money for repairs or replacements over time!
Why You Should Not just Replacing Outside Unit
Read further for more specific reasons here:
Compatibility Issues
The age of your HVAC system can make it difficult to replace just the outside AC unit. For example, many older air conditioning units use a refrigerant incompatible with newer models and must be replaced entirely. This will often require professional help, so they do not run afoul of local building codes or other regulations.
If your air conditioning unit is over ten years old, you can leave the indoor unit alone while replacing the outdoor unit, as you may not even find a model compatible with your 10-year-old indoor unit.
Risk of Havoc
Replacing both indoor and outdoor AC units can save you money on energy bills in the long run
An HVAC system that does not match is a considerable risk of havoc. The only way you should replace just the outdoor AC unit is if it uses refrigerant similar to your indoor system, but even then, experts advise against doing so. There can be differences between how different air conditioners work and what kind of manufacturer they have, which means there’s risk involved with having multiple brands or SEER ratings on hand at once!
What is a seer rating?
SEER rating means Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The SEER rating of an air conditioner determines its efficiency. A 13-SEER system is a minimum for optimum performance in America, according to EIA; however, you must maintain this same unit with both outdoor and indoor units having identical ratings so they can work together efficiently without any problems or dissatisfaction with your end!
In short, if your indoor and outdoor units do not match, your electric bills will face the consequences.
Warranty Void
Your AC comes with an air conditioner manufacturer warranty that covers parts failing because of manufacturing errors. However, you must match your outdoor and indoor units for this to be valid, so if you replace one without perfectly matching up again. Most, if not all, companies likely won’t cover any repairs or replacements for indoor and outdoor units in the future.
Premature Cooling Failures
Indoor and outdoor AC units should be replaced at the same time for optimal performance
If you want to make your HVAC last as long, or even longer than it could with just repairs alone – replace both indoor and outdoor units simultaneously and n! This way, they’ll be working together in harmony. You won’t have any more accelerated wear-and tear on either system because now they’re sharing duties, helping out where needed most, like during peak hours when demand for air conditioning is most significant (or hottest). And since we all know how tedious maintenance can sometimes seem–this will give us peace of mind knowing that this would be a one-time purchase.
Are There Any Exemptions?
Well, yes. Like any other, of course, there are exemptions, but again, if you can, it is still better to replace the indoor unit along with the outdoor unit.
You have to make sure that the following matches;
- Age of the ac system
- Refrigerant used
- Size of the condenser and evaporator coil
- SEER rating
- Manufacturer
There will be chances that the manufacturer’s warranty may also be valid. The warranty on your air conditioner is protection against manufacturer errors. If you have an older home with this type of equipment, don’t worry because, generally speaking, if it’s less than five years old, there will still be some coverage! To find out what happens in these cases, though, proceed as follows:
- Gather all necessary paperwork, including invoices or receipts for any repairs made within the last twelve months
- Call whichever company sponsors those warranties (this could be somebody other than who sold/installed yours)
- Supply them date & serial #’s from the inside air conditioner, model number plus any other info requested such as 1st purchaser, etc.
- Describe the current problem and listen to what they say
- If they agree to service your ac unit(s), let them do so.
What to Do if Your Outdoor Unit is not Working
While replacing only the outdoor unit is the best move. You can do two things if your outdoor unit is not working correctly. The first would be to check with the manufacturer about whether or not they cover these repairs under warranty, as we discussed earlier in this guide. If the manufacturer’s warranty no longer covers it, especially if it is already ten years old, you should replace the entire system.
However, if the warranty still covers it, it is essential to hire a professional when your AC system needs fixing. There could be several reasons why the outdoor unit has malfunctioned, and an expert will know how best to correct it without any problems arising in future generations!
Conclusion
So there you go! There are a lot of possible consequences when you only replace the outdoor unit and not the indoor unit.
In short, it is better to replace both the indoor and outdoor units of your AC system at the same time. However, if you can only afford to replace one, make sure it is the outdoor unit. This is because the outdoor unit works harder than the indoor unit and thus will wear out faster. Additionally, if you do not replace both units simultaneously, you risk mismatched components, which can lead to future problems. Finally, if the manufacturer’s warranty still covers your outdoor unit, hire a professional to fix it, so you do not void the warranty.
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