Short answer: Repair if the AC is under about eight years old, the fault is a capacitor, sensor, fan motor, drain, PCB or a properly repaired gas leak, and the repair costs less than a third of a new AC. Consider replacing if it's a fixed-speed AC over ten years old that needs a compressor, uses R22 gas and has a leak, or has needed repeated major repairs.
A Simple Decision Guide
| Situation | Our usual advice |
|---|---|
| Capacitor, sensor, drain, fan motor | Repair, at almost any age |
| PCB on an AC under 8 years | Repair |
| Gas leak, properly fixed | Repair |
| Compressor, AC under 6 years | Repair; check the compressor warranty first |
| Compressor, fixed-speed AC over 10 years | Replace with an inverter AC |
| Old R22 AC with a leak | Lean towards replacing; R22 is being phased out |
| Third major repair in two years | Replace |
Don't Forget Running Costs
An old fixed-speed AC can use noticeably more electricity than a modern inverter model of the same size. Over a few Vijayawada summers, the saving can cover a good share of the new AC's price.
We repair; we don't sell ACs. So when we say replace, it's because it's genuinely the better deal.
