Straight Talk · No Sales Math
Most of the industry uses the old "$5,000 rule" — system age × repair cost — a shortcut that's rigged toward selling you a new system, especially now that equipment prices have doubled. We'd rather show you the real question: what does each option actually cost you per year? Punch in your numbers. We'll show every step.
Use the repair quote in your hand. Estimates are fine — you can adjust anything.
The price you were quoted to fix what's broken.
A fair installed price for a comparable new system.
A well-maintained AC typically lasts 15–20 years. We default to 17.
New high-efficiency equipment typically trims utility bills. We default to $300/yr — set it to $0 if you want the most conservative comparison.
That's what it costs per year to keep your current system going — with no warranty, and the next breakdown on your dime.
That's the true annual cost of a new system — spread over its full life, with a fresh parts warranty and lower utility bills working in your favor.
What the math says
At these numbers, replacement runs about $371/yr less than repairing. The repair is cheaper today — the replacement is cheaper every year after this one.
Here's the part most calculators leave out: if you repair, you still buy a new system when this one dies. This chart includes that. Each line is your total out-of-pocket, year by year, with new-system energy savings counted as money back.
That's the point. A $600 blower motor on a 9-year-old system pencils out to a fraction of the cost of replacing — and we'll tell you so. A calculator that always says "buy a new system" isn't a calculator, it's a brochure.
The kind of repair matters. A capacitor is routine; a compressor or refrigerant leak on an older system shortens its remaining life and tilts the math toward replacing. A technician who's actually looked at your equipment can tell you which one you've got.
Bring us the repair estimate you were handed. We'll run this same math with you at the kitchen table — and if fixing it is the right call, that's what we'll tell you.
This calculator is a planning tool, not a quote. Actual repair and replacement pricing depends on your equipment, home, and the nature of the failure. Energy savings vary with system efficiency, usage, and utility rates. Schraer Heating & Air Conditioning · 504 W Booneslick Rd, Warrenton, MO 63383 · Serving Warren, Montgomery, St. Charles & Lincoln Counties since 1946.