When it comes to various HVAC components in your home, such as your air conditioning unit for instance, there are many situations where knowing the age of the component is important. Whether you’re considering repairs, selling the home or are in a few other common situations, knowing component age makes a difference — how do you go about finding it?
At Green Line Heating & Air, we’re happy to help with all things air conditioning, including installation, repair and all forms of maintenance you’ll require. We’ll also provide regular tips and expertise to clients in areas like these, or even help you with them ourselves if needed. Why is the age of your AC unit sometimes important, and how can you go about identifying it? This two-part blog series will go over several basic concepts to consider.
Why/When Does AC Unit Age Matter?
Firstly, for those who are new to ownership or never had to think about this before, it’s worth mentioning that the age of your air conditioner generally won’t be something you need to think about on a day-to-day basis. However, as we’ll discuss in a moment, there are certain situations where an AC’s age can make all the difference — and not always in a good way. Here are a few examples:
You’re selling your home and the potential buyer’s home inspector finds that the unit is quite old. This could lead to haggling over repair/replacement costs or even a lower selling price.
- You’re trying to obtain warranty coverage or insurance for your AC unit and the provider asks how old it is. If it’s over a certain age, they may not cover it.
- Your AC unit breaks down and you’re trying to decide whether to repair or replace it. In some cases, the age of the unit will play a role in this decision.
- These are just a few examples, but you can see why there might be varying reasons for knowing your AC’s age. Our upcoming sections will go over some options for locating this data.
Condenser Nameplate
Within any AC unit, the condenser refers to the outdoor portion that you’ll see when looking at the system. If you take a closer look, you should be able to find a small metal plate with some basic information about the unit — this is called the nameplate. The nameplate will have data like the model number and serial number of your unit, among other things. In most cases, you can use the serial number to identify the date of manufacture for your AC unit.
Owner’s Manual
Another option, albeit a less reliable one, is to check your owner’s manual for information on the unit. In some cases, you may be able to find the age of the unit in here. However, it’s important to note that not all owner’s manuals contain manufacture or installation dates, and this may not always be your best option as a result.
In part two of our series, we’ll go over some further options at your disposal here. For more on how to find your AC unit’s age, or to learn about any of our HVAC maintenance or other services, speak to our team at Green Line Heating & Air today.
