AC Replacement in Chicagoland

What AC replacement actually involves

We price the repair and the replacement together and show you where the break-even sits. Age matters, but so does refrigerant type: systems still running R-22 are expensive to recharge because the refrigerant has been phased out, which changes the math on any repair involving the sealed system. A failed compressor on a 14-year-old R-22 unit is a replacement. A failed capacitor on the same unit is a $200 fix that buys you another season.

Signs you need AC replacement

• The system uses R-22 refrigerant and has a leak
• Compressor failure on a unit past ten years
• Repair costs approaching a third of replacement
• Two or more repairs in the last two cooling seasons
• The system can't hold temperature on the hottest days even when working correctly

Repair or replace?

We price both and show you where the break-even falls. The general test we apply: if the repair costs more than about a third of a replacement and the equipment is past its expected midlife, the replacement is usually the better spend. Under that, fix it and keep the money. Safety faults — a cracked heat exchanger, a compromised flue — override the arithmetic entirely.

You’ll get the numbers for both paths in writing so it’s a decision rather than a recommendation you have to take on faith.

How the visit goes