Your aircon has broken down, or it is limping along, and you are facing the question every owner eventually hits: pay for the repair or put the money toward a new unit? Companies on both sides of that question have an incentive to push you their way. We do both repairs and installations, so we will give you the actual framework our technicians use, with real Singapore numbers.
Lion City Aircon has handled over 22,000 jobs since 2016. All prices below exclude 9% GST and are the same across HDB, condo and landed.
The Quick Rules
- Under 5 years old: repair, almost always. The unit has years left and most faults at this age are minor or under warranty.
- 5 to 9 years: repair the cheap stuff, think hard about the expensive stuff. This is the judgment zone, use the 50 percent rule below.
- 10 years and up: any major repair deserves a replacement quote next to it before you decide. Aircons in Singapore’s heat typically last 10 to 15 years; see how long aircons last.
The 50 Percent Rule
If the repair costs more than half the price of a comparable new installation, and the unit is past the midpoint of its life, replacement usually wins. A $700 compressor swap on a 12-year-old unit fails this test. The same repair on a 4-year-old unit passes easily.
Real Repair Costs vs Replacement Costs
What repairs actually cost in Singapore:
- Troubleshooting visit: $80, waived if you proceed with the repair
- Capacitor replacement: roughly $30 to $100 for the common case
- Common electrical and drainage repairs (contactors, sensors, drain issues): $80 to $300
- Fan motor replacement: $200 to $350
- PCB replacement: $250 to $600 depending on indoor or inverter board
- Compressor replacement: from $600 to $750
Against that, replacement: a single fan coil plus condenser swap starts from around $700, a System 1 install from $1,050, and full multi-room systems from $2,400 to $5,000. Full breakdown in our 2026 installation cost guide.
Put together: a $150 sensor fix is never a reason to replace. A $700 compressor on an old unit costs the same as a brand-new one-room install with a fresh warranty and better efficiency. That is the comparison that matters.
The Factor Most People Miss: Running Costs
An old non-inverter or worn unit does not just break more, it costs more every single month. A modern 5-tick inverter system can cut cooling electricity meaningfully versus a decade-old unit, which over years adds hundreds of dollars to the “keep repairing it” side of the ledger. If your bills have been creeping up alongside the breakdowns, count that in the decision. Our guides on inverter vs non-inverter and aircon energy use have the numbers.
When Repair Is Clearly Right
- The unit is under 8 years old and the fault is a capacitor, sensor, drainage or minor electrical issue
- The fault is one-off, not the third callout this year
- Parts are still available for your model
- The unit cools well when running and your bills are normal
When Replacement Is Clearly Right
- The unit is 10+ years old and needs a compressor, inverter PCB or coil replacement
- Repairs are becoming a pattern, each one buys less time
- It uses R22 refrigerant, which is phased out and expensive to service
- Parts are discontinued for your model
- It never cooled the room properly even when healthy, meaning it was undersized from day one
Buying second-hand to replace? Read our second-hand aircon checklist first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth repairing a 10-year-old aircon?
For small repairs, often yes, a $100 fix that buys another year or two is fine value. For major repairs like compressors or inverter boards, get a replacement quote next to it. At that age the repair usually fails the 50 percent rule.
My aircon is old but works fine. Should I replace it anyway?
No. “Old but working and bills are normal” is not a reason to spend thousands. Keep servicing it and replace when the economics actually turn. Anyone telling you otherwise is selling, not advising.
What usually fails first on an aircon?
Capacitors, sensors and drainage issues come first and are cheap. Fan motors and PCBs mid-life. The compressor is typically the last major component to go, and the one that most often triggers replacement. See how to spot a faulty compressor.
Can I replace just one unit in a multi-split system?
The fan coils, yes. If the outdoor condenser fails on an aging multi-split, that is usually the moment to evaluate the whole system, since a new condenser must match the indoor units.
Will repairs keep an R22 unit going?
Mechanically yes, but R22 is phased out, so any future gas work gets harder and pricier. An R22 unit needing refrigerant work is one of the clearest replacement signals.
Get Both Numbers Before You Decide
The honest way to make this call is with the repair quote and the replacement quote side by side. We give you both. Our troubleshooting visit is $80, waived if you repair, and if replacement genuinely makes more sense we will show you why with numbers, not fear. If a $30 capacitor fixes it, that is what you will pay for.
WhatsApp +65 8818 5781 with your unit’s age and symptoms. Same-day diagnosis in most cases across Singapore. 22,000+ jobs since 2016, 5.0 star rating across 1,500+ Google reviews, BizSafe Level 3 certified.
WhatsApp Lion City Aircon · Call +65 8818 5781 · Repair service · Installation service · Book online
Related reading: How long aircons last · Installation cost guide 2026 · Compressor guide 2026 · Signs you need a new aircon
Related: the six upsells that inflate cheap aircon servicing quotes.
