With ample maintenance, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free service for a long time. But, similar to any other appliance in your house, it will ultimately need to be updated. Knowing when to get a new one is important to skip costly repairs, higher energy bills and interruptions to your comfort.
When it comes to staying cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Air Temperature Control specialists have your best interests at the forefront. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out when your air conditioner requires replacement. Here are several aspects you should consider when you’re thinking about upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.
Age
Most of the time, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners run for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s wise to get started planning for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a new one.
Trustworthiness
How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool dependably, even on the hottest days? Or is it frequently breaking down? When your air conditioner starts becoming less reliable it’s time to get started preparing to get a new one.
Repair Costs
Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s expected for it to need several little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the price of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just install a new one.
Energy Efficiency
Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which ranks how proficiently it uses electricity to produce cooling. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER according to federal laws. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it gets older.
As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular ranking, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with higher SEER ratings are often costlier but may pay for themselves over their life span through improved energy savings. And getting an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for extra rebates.
Comfort
Are you cool when your air conditioner is working? Or are you constantly turning down the temperature to stay cool? An older air conditioner could have trouble keeping your house comfortable because of reduced efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed constantly, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.
Noise
Your air conditioner should deliver cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is bothering you, ask us about installing a variable-speed air conditioner. Many of these air conditioners cool at a sound level that’s like a regular conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Installing a smart thermostat is a good way to stay on top of energy efficiency, with minimal effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates available by your utility company, you could be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for very little. The majority of these thermostats can learn from your temperature preferences and then make an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away and alter temps accordingly.
If you use an older air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Getting a new air conditioner is a wise approach to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.
Refrigerant Style
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably uses Freon®. Also referred to as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being produced as a result of its bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner runs on R-22 by checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant kind.
If your air conditioner is working fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever has a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be pricey. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in reduced, recycled amounts.
Newer air conditioners use Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just use Puron in a Freon air conditioner, since pressure requirements are different.
Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free
If you’re still deciding whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, consider this. The Department of Energy says doing air conditioning replacement for a 10-year-old model can lead to 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really add up over time.
We realize that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why partnering with Air Temperature Control for air conditioning installation in Macon and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our professionals will help you select the right option for your needs and then go over all the possibilities. These include special offers to help you save more and financing for qualified customers to make your new air conditioner accommodate your budget.
Call us at 478-202-3170 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!