They say asking a woman what her age is is not polite. Fortunately, this rule does not apply to your air conditioner! We actually encourage homeowners to know exactly how old their air conditioning unit is. Although it may seem like a trivial detail, as a homeowner, it is helpful to be aware of the age and condition of your HVAC units. Why? If you suspect that your AC has been losing its efficiency lately or perhaps it has been giving you other issues, now is the perfect time to find out for sure how old the cooling unit is. This is because air conditioners typically last for 15-20 years, depending on how well-maintained they are. Therefore, knowing your own AC’s age will make all the difference in being prepared to make vital choices, such as whether a repair would be best or if it would be wiser to go the “replacement” route.
Follow these steps from your Eastland Heating & Cooling professionals to determine the exact age of your air conditioner:
Step One: Finding the Manufacture Date on the Condenser
Our first step to finding the manufacture date is to take it outside. Well, more specifically, go outside and check your outdoor unit for this info. Your outdoor unit, also called the condenser, is the large metal box in the backyard or sometimes on the side of the house. A metal nameplate should be located on one of the sides of the unit, containing all information about the unit. Once you have found the nameplate, direct your eyes to the top of it. The manufacture date can sometimes be found in the upper right-hand corner. The manufacture date should be listed in this general area. Sometimes, it will be labeled as MFR DATE. If you still can’t find it, no worries. We aren’t giving up just yet. Simply proceed to step number two below.
Step Two: Finding the Manufacturer’s Date Online
If, for whatever reason, you have not located the needed date just yet, go ahead and write down the model of the unit, the brand, and the serial number. This should all be listed on the nameplate. You can also just take a quick picture of the nameplate if that is easier for you too. Once you have obtained these three components of info, type them into any search engine online. Then before you click the search key, add the words “manufacture date” to the search query. Doing this should populate several websites providing detailed directions on decoding your particular model’s manufacture date. There are so many models and brands of HVAC air conditioners that it’s important to find the instructions for your exact model. Otherwise, it could turn out to be quite a confusing process. And voila! With a little bit of detective work and a dash of determination, you should have been able to successfully find the exact age of your air conditioner! Congratulations! That’s pretty impressive if we do say so ourselves!
Still, Having Trouble?
Take heart. If you’re still having trouble pinpointing the exact manufacture date, we’ve got you. As long as you’re not on a set timeline, any of our highly-skilled technicians will gladly help you figure out how old our AC is upon your next seasonal HVAC checkup.
WHAT NOW?
Now that you have determined your air conditioner’s age, it’s time for the tricky part – figuring out whether or not your AC needs to be upgraded or why it is losing its efficiency. Of course, this is a whole ‘other topic to be discussed, so feel free to call us to discuss your options.
Reach Eastland Heating & Cooling today at (614) 861-5203, or schedule an appointment now by clicking here!
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