An 8 year old split is not due for replacement just because of the birthday. Repair it when one identified part has failed, the system holds its charge, and parts are still available. Price a new surveyed system when the compressor has failed, a leak keeps returning, or the manufacturer no longer supplies the part. R410A to R32 is not a gas swap. A diagnostic visit is often in the low hundreds or less in 2026 illustrations. That is an illustration, not a tariff. A major repair can approach the cost of a new single split, so ask for both figures before you authorise either.
A serviced eight-year-old split
A domestic split that has been filtered and serviced can be mid-life at eight years. Fans, sensors, a drain pump and a control board are ordinary repairs. The outdoor coil and the compressor are the expensive end. Age alone does not tell you which fault you have. Many units of this age still use an older refrigerant such as R410A. A certified engineer can say whether that gas can still be used for a repair. Pouring a different refrigerant into the old outdoor unit is not a conversion.
Diagnose before you choose repair or replacement. One failed part on a tight system is often a repair. A repeat leak or a dead compressor is a replacement conversation.
The repair figure beside a new matched pair
Ask the engineer to name the fault, the part, and whether the rest of the circuit is sound. A callout to find that out is often illustrated in the low hundreds or less in 2026, with parts on top. A new single-room install, surveyed, is often illustrated from the high hundreds into the low thousands when access is simple, as other cost pages on this site describe. Neither number is a national price. A repair that costs most of a new install, on a system with a tired coil and no parts promise, is the case for replacement. A cheap repair that leaves a slow leak is the case for asking more questions. Citizens Advice guidance on home improvements is worth reading before you pay a large sum on the day.
Replacement means recovery of the old refrigerant, a new matched indoor and outdoor unit, and commissioning by an F-gas certified company. The old pipes are reused only if they are the right diameter, clean, and pressure tested, under the new manual. When in doubt, new pipe is the clean path. Outdoor siting for the new condenser still follows Planning Portal rules in England. A like-for-like position is not automatically free of that check if the new unit is larger or noisier.
Frequently asked questions
Is eight years the end of a split's life?
No. A serviced unit with one failed part is often worth repairing. Replacement is for a failed compressor, a repeating leak, or parts you cannot get.
Can the engineer put R32 in my old R410A unit?
No. R410A to R32 is not a gas swap. A new refrigerant belongs in a new matched system, installed and commissioned properly.
Should I authorise a repair on the first visit?
Authorise a small, named part if the diagnosis is clear and the price is modest. For a compressor or a leak hunt, ask for the replacement figure beside it before you proceed.
Core buying guides
Start with these high-intent guides, then dig into the rest of the library.
Related guides
Sources and further reading
How this guide was prepared
This guide was written by the Local AC Installers Editorial Team. We compare official guidance, legislation and established consumer information, separate general information from project-specific advice, and show publication dates and sources. We do not accept installer accreditation claims at face value.