Repair or Replace?
We are often asked: "What is the life expectancy of this equipment?",
"Will it be better to repair it or should we consider replacing?".
This is not an easy question to answer, not all equipment is created equal and
not all equipment is subject to the same usage and conditions.
All contractors and manufacturers can point to equipment, both packaged and
unitary that has been plugging along with very few problems for 15 - 20 years.
We can also talk about equipment that has consistently given trouble almost from
the day it was installed.
Generally, equipment is manufactured to a high standard for the job it is designed
to do. If it is misused or if it is wrongly selected or badly applied then this
can effect the life expectancy and possibly produce unwelcome problems or failures.
A packaged heat/cool unit produced for "comfort conditions" will, under
normal circumstances, have a cooling cycle that runs only about four months of
the year. If it is used in a situation where the demand for cooling is eight to
ten months of the year then obviously it can not have the same life expectancy.
Do manufacturers occasionally produce "lemons"? Perhaps! It is relatively easy
to replace components as they fail, the contactors, belts, metering devices and
controls. The labour content is not too great for this type of repair. It is a
different story when major components fail (ie. the compressor or the heat exchanger).
The labour content is much higher, and if the item is very heavy or inaccessible it
may be necessary to use a crane and extra help to make the change.
The worst situation and one which causes much customer frustration is when two
major components fail in a short period of time. We try to five the best advice
possible to our customers when a major repair is required but unfortunately we
do not have a crystal ball. Generally, when a major component fails in small
packaged equipment, 15 tons or less in heat/cool, gas furnaces and unit heaters
etc. and if the equipment is over 10 years old, then very serious consideration
should be given to full replacement. The service history, usage pattern and
location should be considered, (ie. did it keep you cool all summer?
Would you be better off with a larger unit?) It may be that the present load on the
unit is very different form the original design criteria. The cost to replace a
unit and have it covered under manufacturer's warranty may not be much more than
the cost of a couple of major repairs and other service problems combined.
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