With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free cooling for many years. But, just like any other machine in your residence, it will at some point need to be updated. Knowing when to get a new one is important to skip pricey repairs, expensive energy bills and comfort disruptions.

When it involves being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. Here are several points you should consider when you’re thinking about replacing your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

Most of the time, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s wise to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for installation.

Dependability

How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the toastiest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner is less dependable it’s time to initiate thinking about getting an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s normal for it to need a few little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the expenses of a new air conditioner, it’s wiser to just install a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which rates how well it expends electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER according to federal rules. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it wears out.

Today, 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 might pay for themselves over time through increased energy savings. And installing an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for extra rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfortable when your air conditioner is on? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An old air conditioner may struggle to keep your house comfy as a result of lower efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of operating at full speed all the time, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should give cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is bothering you, ask us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners operate at a sound level that’s similar to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Getting a smart thermostat is a wise approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort required from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you might be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for very little. Most 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 out and about and change temps as necessary.

If you use an aging air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Upgrading your air conditioner is a surefire method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Kind

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also referred to as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being produced because of its damaging effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner has R-22 by checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant type.

If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever has a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be costly. That’s because Freon is only available in limited, recycled amounts.

Newer air conditioners run on Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just use Puron in a Freon air conditioner, as 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 within the immediate future, think over 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 build up as time passes.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why collaborating with Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling for air conditioning installation in Rockford and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our techs will help you choose the right model for your needs and then discuss all the possibilities. These include special offers to help you save more and financing for qualified customers to make your new air conditioner fit your budget.

Get in touch with us at (815) 914-6197 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!