I have a ~20 yo R-22 system with a leak in it somewhere. Service tech says it would cost ~$100 to try to find & fix the leak + $600 in R-22 to repair system, which is at the end of its useful life. Doesn't recommend trying to fix it. (Side note: R-22 will be unavailable in 2 years per the tech, and although there is a drop in replacement, it contains propane and they don't work with it due to flammability concerns and don't know any local AC company that does). Recommends replacing the system (if I want to still have central AC), and quotes me $2900 for a 2 ton Trane unit. He didn't give me a hard sell on that; he actually suggested I just go with window units, which is what he does in his house. I picked one up for my bedroom yesterday for $110. I'm in central Ohio, not planning to stay in this house forever, but am planning to keep it as a rental. I had new windows installed last fall, and most of them are now double hung gliders, so not particularly conducive to installing window units (I don't think), but it's just me here, so just running AC in my bedroom is feasible, if not optimal. I assume I'm going to want central AC available when I put the house on the rental market however, so I'm not sure that I'd really be avoiding replacement expense by not doing it now so much as deferring it. I have cash on hand available to replace it if I choose to, my cost of capital is about 3%, and the service guy says the long term price trend on central AC units is generally upwards, so if he is to be believed, the only real financial benefit to not doing it now is saving maybe $145/yr in system depreciation plus whatever I save on electricity not cooling the whole (1200 sf) house, which I expect to be pretty minimal (I'm comfortable in the house at 78 deg f, but at 80 it gets a little icky). If I'm going to do it eventually anyway, I think I might as well enjoy the benefit of it while I'm living here, but the thought of spending $2900 to solve a problem I can solve for $100 offends my mustachian sensibilities. The only way I see out of it is to figure out a way to make it a viable rental without central AC. Maybe this is a question for my real estate agent, but I figured I'd ask for some opinions here. Thanks.