Split-system air conditioners are commonly found paired with a central heating system. In a split-system air conditioner, the condenser and condensation coils are located outside, while the evaporator coils are located inside near the air handler and furnace. The indoor and outdoor units are connected by a refrigerant system. The indoor unit is responsible for removing heat from the air in your home and transferring it the refrigerant, while the outdoor unit is tasked with transferring the heat from the refrigerant to the exterior air.
If you have to replace an indoor or outdoor unit due to damage and your air conditioner's relatively new, you may be able to find a suitable match for the remaining unit. However, if the indoor or outdoor unit of your system has failed due to old age, it will mostly likely be best to replace both units. The old, ozone-depleting refrigerant is being phased out, so a new unit will likely use a different refrigerant than your old unit. Since the indoor and outdoor units are part of the same refrigerant system, one of them would be forced to operate with the wrong refrigerant, which would lead to premature breakdown.
Another reason to replace both units is that newer air conditioners are much more energy efficient than old ones. Pairing a highly efficient unit with an inefficient counterpart will dramatically reduce the efficiency of the whole system. The differences between them would also cause increased stresses on the system that would increase the likelihood of breakdown.
If you want help with the replacement of your split-system air conditioner, contact the experts at Rodenhiser Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning today. Founded in 1928, we provide HVAC services to the Route 495/128 area of Worcester MA.
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