What is the average lifespan of an air conditioner fan relay?Air compressor and fan relay controls can sometimes prematurely wear out due to high usage, oversized systems or inadequate maintenance. How do you troubleshoot problems with your air conditioner? What are some causes for an AC freezing up? The air conditioner fan relay operates the unit's motor when it turns on and off. .There are many reasons why an air conditioner compressor fails. Before replacing the fan relay or other components, make certain the condenser is clean and has proper refrigerant levels. The parts that make up an HVAC, or heating, ventilation and air conditioning, unit are a compressor and condenser coil, a fan, and refrigerant lines. How does an air cooling system work? What insect has the shortest lifespan? Where can one purchase Miller gas furnace replacement parts? Are Luxaire furnaces energy efficient? What is an exhaust air jack?The following chart details the predicted life expectancy of appliances, products, materials, systems and components. 

(For homes located in Florida and the surrounding coastal region, please refer to InterNACHI's Florida Estimated Life Expectancy Chart for Homes.) Consumers and inspectors and other professionals advising their clients should note that these life expectancies have been determined through research and testing based on regular recommended maintenance and conditions of normal wear and tear, and not extreme weather (or other) conditions, neglect, over-use or abuse.  Therefore, they should be used as guidelines only, and not relied upon as guarantees or warranties. ADHESIVES, CAULK & PAINTS FASTENERS, CONNECTORS & STEEL INSULATION & INFILTRATION BARRIERS MOLDING, MILLWORK & TRIM PLUMBING, FIXTURES & FAUCETS Toilets, Bidets and Urinals Radon systems have but one moving part:  the radon fan. SIDINGS, FLASHING & ACCESSORIES Note: Life expectancy varies with usage, weather, installation, maintenance and quality of materials.  This list should be used only as a general guideline and not as a guarantee or warranty regarding the performance or life expectancy of any appliance, product, system or component.

Make your own clean copy of this chart.More blog posts about heating and air conditioning: •The coils on my heat pump are covered with ice on cold mornings. What’s wrong with it? •What is the SEER of my old air conditioner?ac unit temperature •What is the difference between the “ON” and “AUTO” settings on my thermostat?how long does an ac window unit last •What is a “ton” of air conditioning?air handling units how they work •What is the best air conditioner for a mobile home? •How do I find the right size air conditioner for my house? •What is an HVAC system? •What is the difference between the SEER and EER of an air conditioner? •What does an ultraviolet air treatment system do?

•The coolant line to the outside unit of my air conditioner is frozen. •What size air conditioner is right for my mobile home? •What is the minimum SEER rating for a new air conditioner? •What does the “AFUE” rating of a furnace mean? •How much life is left in that air conditioner? •Why is there mold around the air conditioning ducts? •What is a geothermal heat pump? •What is the difference between a heat pump and a cooling air conditioner? •Is it alright to close the air conditioning vents in unused rooms? •What is the right MERV number for my air conditioning filter? •Should I move my air conditioner into the attic? •What are the minimum requirements for bathroom ventilation? •What is an air conditioning heat recovery system? •When should I switch the thermostat to “EMERGENCY HEAT” for my heat pump air conditioner? •Why does the air conditioner condensate drain line need a trap in it?

•How can I find out what SEER my air conditioner is? •Should I remove an old whole house fan or keep it? •What is the average life expectancy of stucco? •Is it acceptable for an air conditioning condensate drain line to terminate under the house? •What is the purpose of the vent grille over the bedroom door? •Should I have a return air vent in the master bedroom? •Will closing doors reduce my heating and cooling costs? •How much will I save on my utility bill if I get a new higher SEER air conditioner? •Why is there a wall switch next to the furnace or indoor unit of the air conditioner in the garage? •Which one is better for a home heating system: electric or natural gas? •Why does an air conditioner condenser need to be level? •When does the ban on R-22 air conditioning refrigerant take effect? •How can I tell if an air conditioner uses R-22 or R-410A refrigerant? •What is a return air plenum for a furnace or air conditioning system?

I was going through my blog roll this morning when I saw that someone had asked this elsewhere. I figured it would be a good question to ask. In general, how long do evaporator coils last in a home AC system? How can I make them last longer? If I want to replace them, what should I keep in mind? They should last for the life of the A/C system, which is generally 15-20 years for a high quality system. (Many people end up replacing their systems between 12 and 15 years due to efficiency issues or deferred maintenance causing damage to more easily damaged components, such as the compressor.) Most of the time, evaporator coils fail because they are allowed to get dirty or are allowed to have ice build up on them. Things you can do yourself to help prolong the life is to make sure you change your HVAC intake filter regularly and use a high quality filter (filters should be in place for no more than a month, and should be replaced sooner in a dusty environment if you can no longer see light through the filter), and make sure that your evaporator coils are draining correctly.

The easiest way to make them last longer is to have a licensed HVAC technician perform regular maintenance on your system. This should be done once a year, typically in the winter time. The technician will clean the coils and check them over. At the same time, the A/C tech will check to make sure that your coolant is at the right level/pressure and that there are no leaks in your system. If you replace them, you probably want to replace the entire system at this point thanks to many recent gains made in efficiency. I'm not sure if how long they "should last" matches most home owners experiences. Looking at many consumer complaint websites showed many users with failure between 5 and 7 years. Recommended Maintenance Didn't Save Me You should always do the recommended maintenance, but in my case maintenance wasn't the problem. I have a 14.5 SEER, 2.5 Ton Carrier unit. The evaporator coil started leaking after 43 months (under 4 years). It was a small leak where the copper met the rusty metal housing.

I used high quality filters and replaced them every 2-3 months. They never looked dirty but I still replaced them within the recommended window. It was under a service contract and had preventative maintenance done by a licensed tech from AC-Designs in Central FL every 6 months (twice a year). The parts were under warranty but labor was not so it was a little over $600 to replace with a 90 day labor and 1 year parts warranty. The tech did note that my case was unusual and he's seen both extremes with some lasting the life of the system (15+ years). One thing he mentioned on replacement is some replacements are aluminum based evaporator coils vs the copper in hopes of a longer life. I don't know which is better but I found this article about copper vs aluminum here. Depending on the system, sometimes it makes more since to replace the whole system. Get quotes on each (preferably by 2 or more vendors) before you decide. The department of energy has some other great info on AC systems here.