Is it worth repairing a 15 year old AC unit in Texas?

Usually not. At fifteen years a Texas system has accumulated far more run hours than the same unit would elsewhere, the remaining life is short, and a large repair now does not reduce the replacement cost later.

What is the repair versus replace rule?

Compare the repair cost per remaining year against a new system cost per year across its full life. If the repair approaches the new system figure, replacing is the better buy despite the much larger sticker price.

How long do AC units last in Texas?

Twelve to eighteen years, and Texas systems land in the lower half. Cooling season runs most of the year here, so equipment wears at a pace national lifespan figures were not built around.

Repair or Replace Your AC? A Texas Calculator

Should you repair or replace?

CityHome sizesq ftYear the system was installedRepair quote you were given$Efficiency you are shopping forBrand tierDuctwork conditionRefrigerantElectricity price¢ per kWh

Leaning replaceSystem age about 15 years

At 15 years, replacement is usually the better spend.

Your system is about 15 years old. In Houston a system runs far more hours per year than the national average, so equipment here reaches the end of its usable life earlier than national guidance suggests.
Past about 10 years, a ac compressor replacement rarely pays for itself. The rest of the system is the same age and the next failure is not far behind.

Full replacement in Houston: $8,960 to $14,000
New system saves on cooling, per year: $318

This is an estimate, not a quote. Correct sizing comes from a Manual J load calculation that accounts for your insulation, windows and orientation. Ask any contractor for theirs in writing.

How the comparison works

A repair buys the remaining life of the system, not a fresh start. So the fair comparison is cost per remaining year against cost per year of a new system across its full life. A $2,400 compressor on a system with three years left is $800 a year. A new system at $11,000 over fifteen years is about $730 a year, with a warranty and lower running costs attached. That is why big repairs on old systems lose even when the sticker price looks so much smaller.

Three things that override the math

R-22. Out of production since 2020 and only available as reclaimed stock at punishing prices. Any repair opening the refrigerant circuit on an R-22 system is money into equipment that is already at least fifteen years old.
A failed compressor out of warranty. The most expensive part in the system, on a system old enough for the part to fail, is close to a replacement decision by itself.
Repeat failures. Two service calls in one season is the system telling you what the next few years look like.

Your city

The replacement side of the math uses local prices, so pick where you live.

Common questions

Is it worth repairing a 15 year old AC unit in Texas?: Usually not. At fifteen years a Texas system has accumulated far more run hours than the same unit would elsewhere, the remaining life is short, and a large repair now does not reduce the replacement cost later.
What is the repair versus replace rule?: Compare the repair cost per remaining year against a new system cost per year across its full life. If the repair approaches the new system figure, replacing is the better buy despite the much larger sticker price.
How long do AC units last in Texas?: Twelve to eighteen years, and Texas systems land in the lower half. Cooling season runs most of the year here, so equipment wears at a pace national lifespan figures were not built around.