Repair or replace your AC?

Compare your repair quote with a new, more efficient system: energy savings, payback, and a common rule of thumb.

System age (years)

Repair quote ($)

Current efficiency (old SEER)

New system SEER2

New system installed cost ($)

Current yearly cooling kWh

Electricity price (¢/kWh)

Energy savings / yr–

Payback on extra cost–

Age × repair cost–

Defaults are examples: the price is Arizona's EIA average (15.44¢, July 2026 YTD). Get your yearly cooling kWh from our calculator. For installed-cost context, national guides list standard-efficiency central AC replacement at about $5,000–$8,300 (HomeGuide). Get real local quotes. Old SEER is converted to SEER2 at ≈0.95×.

How to read this

Age × repair cost is a popular rule of thumb (replace if over ~$5,000). It's a heuristic, not a law of physics.
Payback = (new system cost − repair cost) ÷ yearly energy savings. Under ~7–8 years generally favors replacing an old unit; very long paybacks favor repairing (heuristic).
Refrigerant type, safety issues, comfort and warranties matter too. Ask a licensed contractor.