With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free service for many years. But, like any other appliance in your home, it will eventually need to be updated. Knowing when to install a new one is key to skip costly repairs, higher utility bills and comfort disruptions.
When it involves staying cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling, Inc specialists have your best interests at the forefront. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner should be replaced. Here are a few points you should consider when you’re thinking about upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.
Age
Typically, the Department of Energy says many air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s smart to begin planning for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for a new one.
Trustworthiness
How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the hottest days? Or is it regularly malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less reliable it’s time to begin preparing to get a new one.
Repair Expenses
Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s expected for it to need a few minor repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the price of a new air conditioner, it’s smarter to just get a new one.
Energy Efficiency
Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which rates how proficiently it uses electricity to produce cooling. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER per federal guidelines. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it ages.
As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with greater SEER ratings are usually more expensive but could pay for themselves over their life span through more energy savings. And installing an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for added rebates.
Comfort
Are you cool when your air conditioner is working? Or are you continuously switching the temperature to stay cool? An aging air conditioner may struggle to keep your house comfortable as a result of lower efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running on high continuously, 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, call us about installing a variable-speed air conditioner. Many of these air conditioners run at a sound level that’s comparable to a regular conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Getting a smart thermostat is a wise way to keep up with energy efficiency, with minimal effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you could 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 create an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away and change settings accordingly.
If you use an older air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Getting a new air conditioner is a wise way to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.
Refrigerant Style
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially runs on Freon®. Also known as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being produced due to its negative 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 list the refrigerant style.
If your air conditioner is working fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be expensive. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in decreased, recycled amounts.
Newer air conditioners use Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just use Puron in a Freon air conditioner, as pressure requirements are different.
Our Pros Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free
If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, think about 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 over the years.
We know that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why collaborating with Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling, Inc for air conditioning installation in Rockford and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our pros will help you find the right solution 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.
Reach us at (815)914-6197 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!