If you’re wondering about the cost to replace an air conditioner compressor, you want answers fast.
Having a dead compressor is no fun. It likely means your home has no AC during a hot time of year! And if your air conditioning system is older, you might be wondering if it makes more sense to replace the compressor or just buy a new air conditioner.
Let’s investigate whether you should replace your AC compressor and how much it’s likely to cost.
Should you replace your air conditioner compressor?
When deciding whether to replace a broken AC compressor, here’s the question that matters most:
Is the air conditioning system still under warranty?
Most HVAC manufacturers warranty their systems for 10 years. If your warranty is still active, then you can probably get a new compressor for zero dollars. Your only costs will be for the labor involved in replacing it.
So, what if the system isn’t under warranty anymore?
For older systems, replacing the compressor will be more expensive. You’ll need to weigh the cost of replacing the system against the cost of replacing the compressor and all of the other repairs you’ll likely need to make down the line.
Hard numbers: What it costs to replace an air conditioner compressor
At the time of publication, these are the costs to replace a compressor on a residential air conditioning system:
- In warranty: $1,500 to $2,000 (labor only)
- Out of warranty: $3,000 to $6,000 (compressor and labor)
The variation in costs is due to the relative difficulty and time involved in replacement as well as whether your system has a standard compressor or a variable speed model.
So, is replacing the compressor worth it?
It all depends! For newer systems that are still in warranty, it usually is.
But for older air conditioners, it’s a trickier question. Given that you might be able to replace the entire system for a few thousand dollars more than replacing the compressor alone, it’s easy to see why many people opt to get a new AC when the compressor dies.
Deciding whether to replace your air conditioner compressor
Let’s run through a couple of hypothetical scenarios to see whether it makes more sense to replace the air conditioner or just get a new compressor.
Scenario 1: The in-warranty air conditioning system
Let’s say you’ve had your air conditioner for seven years. It’s still within the 10-year warranty period.
It stops blowing cold air, so you have it inspected. The compressor is dead, but you can get a new one using the manufacturer’s warranty. It will cost $1,750 to have it installed.
Given that a new air conditioner would cost over $6,000, paying $1,750 for a repair and keeping the AC makes a lot of sense. After all, your system is still within warranty for three more years. If something else breaks between now and then, you can also replace that part for the cost of labor alone.
Scenario 2: The old, out-of-warranty air conditioning system
For this scenario, imagine you have a 15-year-old air conditioner. The warranty has long expired. The compressor is bad, and it’s going to cost $4,000 to replace it. Should you?
In this situation, you’ll need to factor in all of the following costs:
- Cost of the new compressor
- Cost of future repairs for an older system
- Cost of higher energy bills vs. the lower ones for a newer, more efficient air conditioner
Compare those costs, which can easily exceed $10,000 in just a few years, to the cost of getting a new air conditioner. In this situation, the cost to get a new AC might be $10,000 to $15,000.
Most would conclude that it’s more cost effective to replace this air conditioning system rather than continuing to invest in it.
Conclusion: The cost to replace an air conditioner compressor might be too high to justify.
Or it might not!
It all depends on the warranty status of your system and the overall costs of keeping the existing AC vs getting a new one.
In most cases, folks with in-warranty systems will opt to replace the compressor. Likewise, folks with out-of-warranty systems usually find it makes more financial sense to get a new air conditioner. However, not all situations are as clear cut as the scenarios described above, and your case might be unique!
If you live in Metro Atlanta and are wondering whether you should replace your air conditioner compressor, PV Heating, Cooling & Plumbing can help! Our consultants can help you determine whether it makes more sense to replace your AC’s compressor or get a new system for your home.
To find out more or schedule a consultation, call us today at (404) 798-9672 or book an appointment online!
