Air Conditioner Replacement
Replace the old system
before the first hot week.
We take out the tired unit, size the new one for the room as it is today, handle the NSW Government discount paperwork and look after the system once it is in.
When should you replace an air conditioner?
Replace an air conditioner once repairs start repeating, once it struggles through hot afternoons or when it runs on R22 gas that is getting harder to source. Daikin Australia puts the average lifespan at 10 to 15 years. Past that point a new system usually costs less to run and can qualify for a NSW Government discount.
Plenty of older systems still have a few summers left in them. The first visit works out which kind yours is. When the answer is close we price the repair next to the replacement so you can compare the two.
Signs the old system has reached the end
When two or three of these turn up on the same unit, replacing it is usually the better spend.
- It is more than ten years old and can no longer hold the room on a hot afternoon
- It runs on R22 refrigerant, which has had a tight import cap since 2016 and stops being imported in bulk on 1 January 2030
- The latest repair quote involves the compressor or a refrigerant leak on a unit that has already had work done
- Your power bill jumps every summer and winter even though you use the system the same way
- It rattles, drips inside or smells musty even after a clean
Repair or replace?
Age alone does not decide it. A seven year old split with a blocked drain or a failed sensor is worth fixing. The harder cases are older units needing major work, because compressors, gas leaks and main control boards all cost real money to put right.
R22 systems deserve a closer look. You can keep running and servicing one legally, but once bulk imports end in 2030 any regas depends on reclaimed gas. Paying for a big repair on an R22 unit is a harder call.
If the unit is worth saving, our air conditioning repair team will fix it. If it is not, we will tell you why and quote the replacement.
How a replacement runs
Step 1
Site visit
We look at the old system, check the gas type and the state of the pipework and wiring, then measure the room it has to cool.
Step 2
Sizing and fixed quote
We size the new system for the room as it is now, which is often a different capacity from the unit coming out. You get brand, model and capacity in writing with a fixed price.
Step 3
Paperwork before we start
Where the new system qualifies, you sign the NSW nomination form before installation day. The discount comes off the quote, so there is nothing to claim back later.
Step 4
Removal and install
A licensed technician recovers the gas from the old unit before it comes off the wall, then installs and commissions the new system.
Step 5
Handover and first year
We walk you through the controls and cart the old indoor and outdoor units off for recycling. Two maintenance visits in the first twelve months come included.
The NSW discount rewards replacing an old unit
The air conditioner upgrade incentive covers new installs too, but the NSW Government publishes a slightly higher figure when a 6kW split system takes the place of an old air conditioner. It also states that a more energy efficient model brings a bigger installation discount.
Running costs are the second saving. energy.nsw.gov.au puts the bill saving at $200 to $600 a year when an efficient reverse-cycle system takes over from an old one. Homes that run the system most days of the year tend to sit toward the top of that range.
If the system you have now is already efficient, the discount may be small or nothing at all, because the scheme pays for the energy an upgrade saves. We include the discount in your fixed quote. The NSW air conditioning rebate page explains eligibility and why some systems earn nothing.
Sized for the room you have now
The unit coming off the wall is a poor guide to what should go back up. A lot of them were undersized from day one. Others went into a room that has since gained an extension or a wall of west-facing glass.
We size against floor area, ceiling height, glass and insulation, then match a Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric or Fujitsu system to the job. Most replacements go back in as a split system. Some homes use the moment to move up to ducted air conditioning and cool the whole house from one controller.
Air conditioner replacement: common questions
How much does it cost to replace an air conditioner?
There is no set price, because two replacements of the same size can be very different jobs. The price moves with the capacity and model you choose, whether we can reuse the existing bracket, pipework and power supply, how easy the outdoor unit is to reach and whether the switchboard needs work. Where the new system qualifies, the NSW Government discount comes off. We look at the job first, then put one fixed price on it.
Is it worth replacing an air conditioner that still works?
It depends on its age and efficiency. Swapping an old unit for an efficient reverse-cycle one is worth $200 to $600 a year in lower bills by the NSW Government's estimate, before any discount on the new system. If your unit is fairly new and runs well, those savings shrink and keeping it usually makes more sense.
Is the NSW rebate bigger for a replacement than for a new install?
Slightly, on the NSW Government's published figures: up to $560 when a 6kW split system replaces an old air conditioner, against up to $550 on a new 6kW install. The government calls both indicative. The real amount depends on the model's efficiency, the location and the job itself. If the system you already have is efficient, a replacement may earn little or no discount.
What happens to my old air conditioner?
A licensed technician recovers the refrigerant before the old unit comes down, because releasing it into the air is against the law. The metal and components then go to recycling, so nothing ends up on the kerb for you to deal with.
Can I just run my old air conditioner until it dies?
You can. The catch is timing. An old system is most likely to fail when it works hardest, on the hottest days of the year. That is also when installers are busiest. Our own bookings stay tight from October through to Christmas. Replacing in spring means you pick the install date.
Related pages
Get the old system out before summer.
Tell us what is on the wall now. We will work out what should replace it and put a fixed price on the swap.