Repair first, replacement last
How I decide, in four steps
Most units I look at get a repair. This is the order things happen in, so you know where the decision is.
- 01
Step 1: I test before I talk
Power, pressures and airflow, checked before I say anything about what's wrong.
- 02
Step 2: You get the repair price in writing
Parts, labor and the diagnostic credit, one line each.
- 03
Step 3: If replacement is the honest answer, you get that too
Side by side with the repair, with the reasons written out. Not instead of the repair price.
- 04
Step 4: You decide, with time
The written price holds for 30 days. You can say no, or take it to another shop.
The last answer
When replacement is the honest answer
These are the signs I look for. One alone doesn't decide it.
If several are true at once, I'll say so, and I'll put the reasons on paper.
The repair costs close to what a new system would
The part that failed is the sealed system itself, and not a part around it
The same system has failed more than once in a season
The part is no longer made and nothing fits in its place
Several other parts are already wearing out
Fix it or swap it
Will you try to sell me a new system?
Only when a repair stops making sense, and then you get the reasons in writing next to the repair price. There's no sales team here to hand you to. The same person who tested the unit writes the price.
How old is too old to repair?
Age alone doesn't decide it. The cost of the repair, what else is wearing out, and how many times it has failed this season do. I put those in writing so you can decide with the numbers in front of you.
What if I say no to the repair?
Then you owe the diagnostic fee and nothing else. You keep the written price and can use it to compare, or to decide later.
Start with the flat diagnostic
Then you'll know what's wrong, and what each way forward costs.