According to Energy.gov, a central air conditioner usually lives for about 15 to 20 years. But since you live in Arizona, where the sun mercilessly beats down on the outside unit, you may be wondering how long your air conditioner will last. From our experience, we’d say an air conditioner in Arizona will probably last about 10 to 14+ years. This lifespan varies based on these factors: We’ll show you how those 3 things affect the lifespan, and what you can do to extend the life of your air conditioner. The lifespan of your air conditioning system depends on the system’s type: A heat pump is an air conditioner that can both cool and heat your home. Its lifespan is shorter because it’s running year-round. Whereas a straight-cool air conditioner lasts several years longer because it gets to rest during the cooler months (what few we have!) and let the furnace take over. All air conditioners come in a particular “size,” which is measured in tons.

Size measures the air conditioner’s cooling ability (how well it can remove heat from your home). The larger the system, the more quickly it can remove heat. Now, here’s the important part: Improper sizing will reduce an air conditioner’s lifespan. Essentially, air conditioners are like shoes: If you have the wrong size, you’re going to have painful problems. For example, here are 2 common A/C sizing issues: Do this: If you’re looking to get a new air conditioner soon, ensure that you hire a professional Phoenix A/C technician to find the size or A/C you need by using a load calculation. Related article: What Size Central Air Conditioner Do I Need? Air conditioners are like cars: If you don’t maintain them properly, they’re more likely to break down, resulting in decreased lifespan. So, how can you maintain your air conditioner? A dirty air filter is the #1 cause of A/C breakdowns. Which is unfortunate because changing the filter is so easy.

A dirty filter causes big problems because it restricts airflow to the A/C. This restriction can cause your A/C to:how much does replacing ac unit cost Do this: Check your filter once a month and change it if it looks like the one on the right:are you supposed to cover your ac unit To prevent breakdowns and unwanted costs, air conditioners need a professional tune-up once a year, according to ENERGY STAR.where can i buy a window ac unit What’s so important about professional maintenance? Well, besides keeping your warranty valid, tune-ups take care of important tasks like cleaning the outside unit. If that outside unit gets too dirty, the A/C will struggle to cool your home, causing it to run constantly.