Free HVAC & Appliance Tools

Use our free HVAC Age Decoder to find out. Enter your AC brand and the serial number from the data plate on the outdoor condenser unit. The tool decodes the manufacture date encoded in the serial number and shows the unit's age, expected lifespan, and a visual gauge of remaining useful life. We support 22+ brands including Carrier, Trane, Lennox, Rheem, Goodman, and York.

Our Appliance Age Decoder supports 30+ brands including Whirlpool, GE, Samsung, LG, Frigidaire, Bosch, and Kenmore. Every manufacturer encodes the manufacture date in the serial number using a brand-specific format. Enter your brand and serial number, and the tool instantly shows the manufacture year, current age, and remaining expected lifespan.

Use our BTU / HVAC Sizing Calculator. Enter your home's square footage, insulation level, window type, number of stories, and whether you have attic ductwork. The calculator accounts for Central Texas's hot-humid climate and recommends a system size in BTU and tons. For the most accurate sizing, a professional ACCA Manual J load calculation is recommended before making a final purchase.

Our Repair or Replace Calculator helps you decide. Enter your system's age, the estimated repair cost, and system condition. The tool applies the $5,000 rule (age x repair cost) and other factors to give you a data-driven recommendation. Generally, if a repair costs more than 50% of a new system and your unit is past 75% of its expected lifespan, replacement is usually the better investment.

A new central AC system in Central Texas typically costs $5,800-$13,500 installed, depending on size (tonnage), efficiency (SEER rating), and brand tier. Use our HVAC Cost Estimator for personalized Good/Better/Best pricing based on your home size, with financing options and feature comparisons for each tier.

Use our Energy Cost Calculator to find out. Enter your system's SEER rating, tonnage, and your local electricity rate (the Texas average is about $0.13/kWh). The calculator shows your estimated cost per hour, day, month, and year. A typical 3-ton, 14-SEER system in Central Texas costs $150-$250/month during peak summer.

For most Central Texas homes, a MERV 8-11 filter provides a good balance of filtration and airflow. MERV 13+ filters capture more particles but can restrict airflow in older systems not designed for high-resistance filters. Use our Filter Size Finder to get recommendations based on your system and filter dimensions, including MERV rating, price range, and replacement frequency.