Your air conditioning unit stops keeping up and the question becomes whether to patch it again or replace it. If the unit is past 12 years, the energy bills are climbing, and the technician has been out twice already this summer. That is usually the answer. Ready to replace AC unit equipment? The full job runs through Calgary Air Heating and Cooling Ltd. Calgary, Chestermere, Cochrane, Okotoks. Transparent pricing, no hidden fees. Manufacturer warranties on every unit installed. Call (403) 720-0003. Free no-obligation quote. Same-day service on most jobs.
Five signals worth knowing before you make the call.
10 to 15 years with maintenance, sometimes more. That is the typical run for most central air conditioning units. Some push past it. Most do not. Efficiency drops past that point. Parts get harder to source. At some stage the cost of keeping the system going outpaces what you get back from it. Age alone is not a reason to replace. Age combined with anything else on this list usually is. Regular AC maintenance service extends system lifespan. Without it, most units land at the short end of that 10–15 year range and comfort starts dropping well before that.
Energy bills going up and usage has not changed. That is the system losing efficiency. Older air conditioning units run longer cycles to hit the same temperature. That difference shows up on the utility bills every month. A high efficiency replacement produces the same cooling output for less energy, and home comfort is more consistent. The energy savings add up. Over a few years, part of the replacement cost comes back.
Canada phased out R-22 refrigerant in 2020. Still running on R-22? Already past the natural end point. Parts are expensive. Refrigerant is harder to source every year. The unit cannot be recharged with a modern refrigerant without replacing the air conditioning unit itself. No patch for that one.
One repair is one repair. Two or three in a single season is a different conversation. A rough guide: multiply the repair cost by the age of the unit. Past five thousand dollars, replacement is usually the better call. A new system comes with a manufacturer warranty. An old unit with an expired warranty and a failing compressor does not.
Uneven cooling across rooms, frozen coils, the compressor cycling on and off — signs the air conditioning unit is struggling. Sometimes it is a thermostat. Sometimes electrical issues in the wiring or contactors. When the compressor has gone, the repair cost starts to look like replacement cost. That is when the age math rarely works in favour of the old unit.
If the repair is modest and the system has years of life left, fixing it is the right call. Calgary Air's AC repair service handles most common repairs the same day.
A new system runs more efficiently, costs less per month to operate, and carries a manufacturer warranty from day one. Worth getting a free quote before deciding either way.
Central air conditioning replacement is not just swapping a box outside. Getting an old air conditioner out and a new one in is typically a one-day job. Here is what the process actually covers.
The old condenser unit comes out. Refrigerant is recovered correctly — not vented. The copper line and existing ductwork are assessed before the new system goes in. The air handler and blower motor are checked too. A carbon monoxide detector near the furnace should also be confirmed current during any HVAC system replacement.
A complete replacement covers the outdoor condenser unit, the indoor evaporator coil (A-coil), and a new line set. Pairing a new condenser unit with an old evaporator coil voids the manufacturer warranty and puts new equipment at risk. Calgary Air's AC installation service covers the full AC package.
Possible if the furnace is under 12 years old and running properly. A new high efficiency unit paired with a furnace near end of life creates a matched system problem. A matched HVAC system — both replaced at once — solves it and extends lifespan of both components. Calgary Air will give you a straight answer at the assessment.
SEER measures cooling output against energy consumption across a full season. Current minimum is SEER 13. High efficiency: SEER 18 to 25. How often the cooling runs and how long you plan to stay drives which energy efficiency rating makes sense. Higher SEER rating means lower energy bills across the life of the system. The math usually favours going up a tier.
An oversized unit short-cycles. An undersized unit runs constantly and still misses on the hottest days. Proper sizing starts with a load calculation — square footage, ceiling height, insulation, window exposure. Tonnage is determined from there. Guessing on sizing is one of the more expensive mistakes in an air conditioning replacement.
R-22 is gone. R-410A systems are still common but manufacturers are shifting toward R-454B in newer high efficiency system designs. Replacing now puts you on a modern refrigerant with better long-term availability and better cooling capacity. Part of the energy efficiency gain comes from improved refrigerant handling and a sealed, properly charged line set.
The AC replacement cost varies. Several factors pull it in different directions.
Size of the unit by tonnage. SEER rating. Condition of the existing ductwork. Whether the system needs electrical work or permits. A straightforward professional installation on an existing system with clean ductwork costs less than a job that also needs duct system repairs or panel work. Calgary Air Heating and Cooling Ltd provides transparent pricing upfront — before work starts, not after. No hidden fees. A professional HVAC contractor from the team will walk through the quote with you.
Rebates are available through some utility providers and government programs for high efficiency air conditioning replacements. Tax credits may apply depending on the energy efficiency rating of the unit installed. Financing options are available on request. The rebates available change from year to year — worth asking about when you call. Energy savings from a higher-SEER system also offset replacement cost over time.
Most jobs are done in a day. Old condenser unit out, new system in, line set replaced, system commissioned and tested. Larger homes or jobs that also need ductwork or electrical work may run into a second day. Calgary Air schedules around you, including evening and weekend appointments.
Yes. All units installed by Calgary Air Heating and Cooling Ltd come with manufacturer warranty coverage. Labour warranty is separate — confirm when you book your inspection. Extended coverage is also available on most equipment. Worth asking about when you call.
You can. Not always the right call. A new system condenser paired with an old evaporator coil creates system compatibility problems and puts the manufacturer warranty at risk. If the evaporator coil is past 10 years, evaporator coil replacement at the same time is the better move. A licensed contractor from Calgary Air will assess both during the visit and give you a straight answer. No obligation in the assessment.
For the full range of air conditioning options — repair, maintenance, and air conditioning replacement — visit the air conditioning services page.
You will always get upfront pricing on all our professional services. Also, you will get free replacement quotes on heating and cooling. Apart from Calgary, the other areas we cover are Chestermere, Cochrane, Okotoks, Rural Communities, etc.
