When an air conditioner breaks down in the middle of summer, the first question is usually whether it's worth fixing. There's no single rule, but three factors cover most decisions: how old the system is, how much the repair costs, and how often it's needed repairs lately.
Age matters because parts wear together. A system in its first decade that needs a capacitor or a contactor is almost always worth repairing. An older system that needs a compressor or has a significant refrigerant leak is a different conversation, because the repair can approach the cost of a new unit.
Frequency matters too. One repair every few years is normal. A system that needs a service call every summer is telling you something, and those repair bills add up to money that could have gone toward a more efficient replacement.
The honest answer comes from an inspection, not a guess. Our technicians inspect the system for free, give you prices for both repair and replacement, and tell you which one we'd choose in your position. If replacement wins, you get $500 off the new unit installation.