My husband and I were delighted to retire to Jacksonville, Florida. We’d had enough of sub zero temperatures, record-setting amounts of snow and blizzard conditions. We toured numerous homes, looking for a property in a safe location with plenty of yard and privacy. We found a little house on the river that was in need of some updates. The bathrooms and kitchen were the worst of it and our priority. We knew that the central air conditioning was nearing the end of its lifespan. We hoped it would last us for a year or two. The unit surprised us by operating reliably and effectively for nearly four years. In the middle of an especially hot and humid summer season, I suddenly noticed that the house felt overheated and sticky. The air conditioner was definitely running but there was nothing but warm air pouring from the vents. I called a local HVAC repair company and scheduled a repair. I fully expected to be told I needed to replace the air conditioner. The technician found a very small refrigerant leak. He added refrigerant and suggested I see how long the repair held up. It lasted a full year, and then I had the same problem again. This time, I wasn’t willing to spend another two hundred dollars on a repair. I decided to invest into a whole new cooling system. I called the same HVAC contractor, got an estimate and asked for recommendations. I wanted a unit with higher SEER to reduce monthly costs. The new system is much quieter and is covered by a manufacturer’s warranty.