How to Know If You Need a New High-Efficiency Air Conditioner

The last thing you want on a hot summer day is to be stuck with a broken-down air conditioning system. With regular maintenance, a high-efficiency AC system can last 10-15 years—but how do you know when it’s time to start looking for a new one? Here are five ways to know if it’s time for an upgrade, before you’re left out in the cold—or in this case, the heat.

1. It’s more than 10 years old.

If it’s been a decade since your AC was installed, it might be worth preparing for the purchase of a new system, even before you start to see major warning signs (more on these later). It could also be a good time to consider investing in maintenance and protection plans, so you aren’t caught off-guard if problems arise. This can give you a head start in saving, researching, and planning, rather than waiting for a breakdown and then making a rash purchase. It’s also worth running the numbers about how much your annual tune-ups are costing you (not to mention your energy bill). It might be the case that investing in a newer, high-efficiency air conditioner model could start saving you money sooner.

2. It makes unusual noises.

No system is perfectly silent, but if you’re starting to hear groaning, clanking, or other sounds of effort from your AC, it’s not doing its best job. Loud sounds could mean a broken part or malfunction inside the unit, like a loose belt or unbalanced part. They could also indicate a more systemic issue, like insufficient ducting inside the space you’re trying to cool, causing your AC to chug and work too hard to generate enough cool air to regulate the temperature. Either way, an upgrade to a newer system that takes into consideration the needs of your whole house could be a wise investment.

3. You see signs of leaking, moisture, or extra dust inside your home.

Leaks and cracks within the AC system can cause structural damage to your home when moisture gets into drywall or wood. If your air conditioning ducts show signs of mildew around the edges, or you notice paint bubbling out, it’s worth considering an upgrade. You might also notice more dust inside your home, which may indicate a leaky system that is struggling to circulate air efficiently and filter out the particles that are now settling everywhere you look.

4. Your cooling costs are skyrocketing.

One of the big ways to tell that your AC needs replacement is that it’s costing you more to run it. You might find yourself shelling out for repairs more often with less grace periods between visits. You may also be seeing a higher-than-normal utility bill—when your air conditioner needs to work harder to cool the same area, it draws more power and uses energy less efficiently. A modern, energy-efficient air conditioner will save you time, trouble, and money for years to come.

5. You have hot spots in your home.

It might seem obvious, but if parts of your home aren’t cooled properly, then your AC isn’t doing its job. This could mean that there’s clogging in your ducts, or other issues with airflow. If the issue is isolated to one or two areas, it may be fixable, but if repair costs are starting to pile up, it’s worth looking into replacing the whole system.

Think you might be ready to upgrade to a modern, energy-efficient, and reliable air conditioning system? Contact the experts at Simply Green Home Services to explore your options and find the best cooling system for you, your family, and your home. Check us out today!

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Dr. Andrew Bowgen Chief Risk Officer

Joining Simply Group’s executive team in 2018, Andrew Bowgen, PhD, brings an exceptionally analytical eye—he holds a PhD in Comparative Physiology from the University of Cambridge—along with years of leadership experience from some of Canada’s top financial institutions. As Simply Group’s Chief Risk Officer, Andrew has played a critical role in the company’s strategic growth by effectively identifying, evaluating, and managing risk factors and opportunities. He is also responsible for laying the groundwork for Simply Group’s strong risk management framework and cultivating a sound risk culture across the organization. Before joining Simply Group, Andrew served as Director of Risk Strategy at Flexiti Financial, where he was responsible for mitigating exposure and building an environment of risk awareness across the organization. He also previously worked as a Senior Credit Risk Manager at Scotiabank and spent five years as a Senior Credit Risk Manager overseeing risk governance at JPMorgan Chase.

Joseph Krimker Co-founder, EVP, Strategic Partnerships and Business Development

As co-founder and Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development, Joseph Krimker has played a critical role in building Simply Group to the entity it is today. After graduating from the Schulich School of Business in 2013, with a wealth of entrepreneurial experiences throughout his youth, Joseph joined his brother, Lawrence, to start Simply Green Home Services™. Due in part to Joseph’s incredible success in sales, the company exceeded $30 million in annual revenue in just the first three years of business. Today, Joseph is responsible for identifying new avenues of strategic growth for Simply Group, as well as maximizing the company’s operating performance.

Joseph proudly maintains a “lead by example” leadership style, while subscribing to a “servant leadership” philosophy. A true salesperson at heart, he is well known for his competitive nature, infectious positive energy, and a warm and empathetic personality. Having grown up with a single, immigrant mother in a Toronto co-operative housing complex, Joseph believes in continually giving back to the communities we operate in and conducting business with a high degree of humility and integrity.

Jerome Peeters Chief Operating Officer

Jerome Peeters is an accomplished business executive with over 22 years of Financial Industry experience leading business operations and transformation in various B2B and B2C organizations. With his entrepreneurial vision and disciplined data-driven approach, Jerome continuously propels growth and energizes organizations to drive results in changing environments. Prior to joining Simply Group in 2019, he was the Chief Operating Officer at Flexiti Financial, where he led the strategy and operational growth of the FinTech company. Jerome also previously served as Vice President of Operations and Client Services at Laurentian Bank and Senior Vice President of Marketing and Customer Experience for Sears Canada. Prior to this, Jerome played a pivotal role in the growth of President’s Choice Financial as Senior Director of Marketing and Change Management for this award-winning brand.

Lawrence Krimker Chief Executive Officer

Lawrence Krimker has become one of North America’s most accomplished business leaders. As Chief Executive Officer of Simply Group, he has managed to revolutionize the residential and commercial energy sector, successfully disrupting and transforming an industry that had grown complacent. Through strategic acquisitions, innovative business tactics, and the creation of a specialty financing model that has made high-efficiency energy appliances more affordable for homeowners and businesses, Lawrence has amassed over $1.45 billion in assets for his companies and has helped hundreds of thousands of Canadians reduce their carbon footprint.

Simply Group was born from Lawrence’s vision to change the way Canadians think about home comfort. In seven short years, the company, which started as Simply Green Home Services, successfully expanded into the financing and lending sector, making Simply Group one of Canada’s largest non-bank suppliers of consumer credit. Lawrence continues to push the company forward with a strong focus on innovation and an unwavering commitment to building mutually beneficial relationships with its dealer network, OEMs, and consumers. With his strong leadership, vision, and passion, Simply Group has been celebrated as being Great Place to Work-Certified™ for six years in a row.

Lawrence’s ambition, drive, and strong work ethic hail from his humble beginnings. The son of a single mother—an immigrant to Canada who relied on multiple jobs and subsidized housing to make ends meet—Lawrence grew up seeing the value of these qualities firsthand. He started his first business at only 16 years old while still in high school. He then attended the Schulich School of Business on a full scholarship and in his spare time, he launched a window-cleaning business that went on to gross $2 million in sales with over 34,000 customers, 80 employees, and operations in three locations. After profitably selling the company and graduating at the top of his class, Lawrence went on to launch Simply Green Home Services in 2013.

Raymond Tam Chief Treasury Officer

Raymond Tam is a seasoned finance professional with over 15 years of experience in strategic planning, financial governance, merger and acquisition execution, and business analysis across a spectrum of businesses, including entrepreneurial start-ups, mid-sized businesses, and large established corporations. In his current role at Simply Group, Raymond manages all lender relationships, as well as overseeing the treasury and securitization functions across the organization. Before this, he headed the Merger and Acquisition team at Simply Group, where he was responsible for leading the due diligence efforts on the company’s portfolio and business acquisitions, the most recent being SNAP Financial Group and Dealnet Capital Corp.

Prior to joining Simply Group, Raymond helped to launch a private label consumer financing technology start-up; he was responsible for the development of the company’s accounting and financial operations. Raymond also spent five years as the Divisional Chief Financial Officer for Sears Financial Services, the credit card-issuing arm of Sears Canada. Raymond holds his Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Schulich School of Business.