The Best Time of Year To Buy AppliancesA new air conditioner is a big investment – but keep in mind that choosing an energy-efficient system can mean big energy savings.The energy efficiency of a central air conditioner is measured in a unit called SEER - seasonal energy efficiency ratio. The SEER is the cooling output divided by the power consumption, with climate and other variables factored in.The higher the SEER, the better - a rating of 10 is considered the minimum for new systems. Your older system might have a SEER of 7 or 8 - or even less. The SEER will be listed prominently on the yellow-and-black EnergyGuide.If you replace an older central air conditioner with a new 12.0 SEER unit, you can lower your cooling costs by at least 30 percent!Installing your new central air systemWhen your new air conditioner is installed, make sure the dealer places the outdoor compressor in a shady area. This can help reduce energy use by up to 10 percent. Be sure to maintain at least a one-foot airflow around the entire unit.

And if you don’t already have one, now is a great time to install a programmable thermostat. Using it to automatically raise the temperature 10 degrees while you’re sleeping or at work can cut your electricity bills by 10 percent!If you know your existing air conditioner is on its last legs, it pays to plan ahead for replacing it. Making an emergency decision on a new system during the middle of a heat wave can lead to bad energy choices.Late winter or early spring is usually the best time to purchase a central air conditioning system – it’s the off-season for dealers, and many manufacturers offer significant rebates during this time of year. End-of-summer clearance sales are a great time to purchase a window air conditioner – but the selection might be limited.Maintaining your central air conditionerWith good maintenance, your air conditioner should last about 15 years. You can keep your system running efficiently with these easy tips:It’s also important to have your air conditioning system inspected by a service technician.

A $50-$100 annual tune-up can reduce your cooling costs by five percent.ac unit room 64 posts, read 636,923 timeshow many tons ac unit do i need 285 posts, read 616,283 timeswhich window ac unit is best Originally Posted by jerseyjersey Thanks so much for the info. would people replace HVAC before or after they break ? My colleagues told me sometimes furnace can last as long as 50 years! Originally Posted by fzpanda I would say any time it's warm is a good time to get a system replaced. You can always get or borrow a window unit of two to get you by for a couple weeks while you have the system replaced. The same can't be said about the winter. Even if you can just heat one or two rooms, you have to worry about pipes freezing in the rest of the house.

At least in the summer you don't have to worry about the rest of the house bursting into fires cause there's no A/C. 1,462 posts, read 3,353,450 times My recommendation is to get a PSEG worry-free contract for the AC and Furnace, so at least, that way, you're covered before you have to buy a new one. 6,304 posts, read 9,032,121 times We had to replace our original furnace when it was 40 years old. I believe in the old saying, "if it ain't broke". 2,481 posts, read 1,841,518 times If you can live without heat/AC for a bit, wait, if you can't, don't. A couple and their teenage kid(s) can deal. A couple with a baby or an older person with health problems might want to consider being more proactive. Just saw this, and while yes, some well-made furnaces and A/C systems can last a long time, if you live in a townhouse community built in the 1990s, it's likely that they didn't use top of the line, built to last systems. Of course, if you live in a very high-end development, it might be different.

But the first home we owned was a KHov built townhome circa 1990-91, and by the time we moved out in 2010 (so, 19-20 year old systems), just about everyone in our section had replaced their HVAC. They don't build things like they used to, especially in those developments! I don't believe that's true, they still build some quality products, but you have to pay more for them. Pretty much any mass build development uses builder grade (ie low quality) materials. No one looks at the high quality brand name air conditioners, furnaces, windows, etc when shopping for a house. They are looking at the nice cabinets and granite counter tops. So the builders spend the money where people want to see better quality items and skimp on the things people don't see. Hence why I said that my comments may not apply if the OP lived in a high-end development. The "average" furnace from 50 years ago is probably more likely to be working than the average KHov mass install from 25 years ago.Is it cheaper to buy an air conditioner in winter when demand is low, or in summer when demand and competition are high and sales must be hot?

If you think that logic says it should be cheaper to buy in winter, then you’d be right. While there can be huge discounts on air conditioners and other household appliances in November and December in the lead-up to Christmas, the bigger discounts seem to be during the end of financial year sales in May and June, as the thermometer is starting to drop and demand for cooling units … cools down. Stores don’t want to be stuck with a lot of old stock when the new models arrive in-store in spring, so they can offer good discounts to move the older models. If you live in a seriously cold area, experts even advise that you buy an air conditioner cover if your unit is going to be sitting in the snow for a while before you actually use it! But hold your horses. The cheapest time to buy is not the same as the cheapest time for installation. Tradies in the cooler southern states tell us they are just as crazily busy installing furnaces and split system air conditioners in May as they are installing air conditioners in November.