Repair it, or replace it?
Nobody wants to be sold a new system they did not need, or to spend good money on one that was never going to last the winter. These are the four questions we work through on site, so you can start thinking about them before we get there.
The four questions
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What refrigerant is in it?
This is often the whole answer. If the system runs R-22, you are repairing something that can only be topped up from recovered stock — and that gets more expensive every year. Newer refrigerants are easier to live with, but supply is tightening across the board.
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What does the repair cost against a new system?
The common trade rule of thumb is that once a repair passes roughly half the cost of replacing the unit, replacement wins. It is a rule of thumb, not a law — a cheap repair on a system with other problems is still money thrown after bad.
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How many times has it already failed?
One fault on an otherwise healthy system is a repair. The third call in two years on the same unit is a pattern, and patterns do not improve. Tell us what has already been done to it — it changes the advice.
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Would a replacement qualify for a rebate?
This is the one most people miss. A repair earns nothing back. A qualifying replacement may come with substantial rebate support, which can close the gap between the two options entirely. See which BC programs apply.
Points toward repair
- One clear fault, with an obvious cause
- The rest of the system is in good condition
- Parts are available without a long wait
- The repair is well under half the cost of replacement
- No history of repeat failures
- The equipment is correctly sized for the space
Points toward replacement
- It runs R-22, and the fault needs refrigerant
- Repeated failures, or a failing compressor
- The repair approaches half the replacement cost
- Running costs have climbed noticeably
- It was the wrong size for the space to begin with
- A replacement would qualify for rebate support
Why the refrigerant matters so much
If you only check one thing before deciding, check the nameplate.
R-22 systems
Canada ended the production and import of R-22 at the start of 2020, under the regulations that implement the Montreal Protocol. Existing equipment can still be serviced, but the only legal supply is refrigerant recovered and reclaimed from other systems. That makes a leak repair progressively less attractive on an older unit — you are paying scarce-resource prices to refill a system that is leaking.
If your system is on R-22 and the repair involves refrigerant, replacement deserves a serious look.
R-410A, R-404A and newer systems
These are not ozone-depleting, but they are greenhouse gases, and Canada is reducing the total quantity of them that can be produced or imported in stages. Manufacturers are moving new equipment onto lower-impact refrigerants such as R-454B and R-32.
Existing equipment can still be serviced. The practical effect for owners is on supply and price over time, rather than a switch that flips on a particular date.
Published timelines vary between sources. We will tell you what applies to your specific equipment rather than quote a date at you.
Not sure which way it falls?
Call and read us the nameplate and the repair quote. We will tell you straight which one we would do.