How long does a central air conditioner last?

The average lifespan of a central air conditioner is 15 years. Proper annual maintenance can often extend the longevity of the unit and address typical wear and tear.

What causes odors from my central air conditioner?

Central air conditioners can emit a musky smell when mold or bacteria build up on your evaporator coil. It's essential to follow an annual maintenance schedule and regularly clean your filter to ensure your unit is running efficiently and safely.

Do I need to cover for my central air conditioning?

While central air conditioners are built to withstand rain and snow, pine needles, leaves, seeds, and debris can build up inside your air conditioning unit and cause issues. An annual maintenance schedule and covering your air conditioning unit is your best line of defense against debris.

What does a central air conditioning condenser and compressor do?

An air conditioning condenser unit cools and condenses incoming refrigerant vapor into liquid. The compressor increases the refrigerant's pressure and moves the fluid through the unit. A fan within the unit cools the refrigerant by passing outside air through a heat exchanger.

How often should I service my central air conditioner?

Any heating or cooling unit should be inspected by a professional, cleaned, and serviced on an annual basis. A yearly maintenance plan helps to ensure your heating and cooling unit is running as efficiently as possible, which can save you money.

How often should I change my air conditioner filter?

It's important to inspect your filter every three months to ensure it's clean and working as intended. For homes with pets that shed or have children with allergies, it's recommended to inspect your filter at least every 90 days. Filters should be inspected or serviced every 6 to 12 months.

Learn about Central Air Conditioning

A central air conditioner is a system for cooling your home in the heat of summer. It provides cooling only. If you also need heat in winter, a heat pump that does both is your best savings.

Energy Star air conditioners meet energy-efficient standards to keep your cooling bill lower. Look for the Energy Star label, and look for a SEER number (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) near or above 20. Some less efficient units are down around a SEER of 10, which means they would take twice as much energy to provide the same amount of cooling. Consider whether you need air conditioning, or whether fans and night-time fresh air ventilation will do the trick, saving capital and operating costs. Circulation fans use only a tiny fraction of the energy of an air conditioner. Look for an efficient heat pump air conditioner that can also cover some of your heating load in winter.

Energy star central air conditioners are certified to meet the standard for lower energy consumption than standard models.

The first home known to have air conditioning installed in 1914 for Charles Gates, a resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The first central air conditioning installed in a private home was for the family of David St. Pierre DuBose in 1933, who resided in Meadowmont, North Carolina. St. Pierre DuBose designed a network of ductwork and vents hidden behind Georgian-style molding.