With ample maintenance, your air conditioner will offer worry-free performance for years. But, similar to any other appliance in your house, it will ultimately need to be upgraded. Knowing when to get a new one is essential to skip pricey repairs, costly electrical bills and comfort disruptions.
When it includes being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Cooler Tymes LLC 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 a couple of points 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 the majority of air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s recommended to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a new one.
Reliability
How dependable 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 start thinking about getting an updated one.
Repair Costs
Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s normal for it to need several minor repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the expenses of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just replace it.
Energy Efficiency
Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which rates how proficiently it expends electricity to produce cooling. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER per federal mandates. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it ages.
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 usually costlier but could pay for themselves over time through increased energy savings. And purchasing 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 often dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An old air conditioner might have trouble keeping your house comfy due to decreased efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed all the time, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.
Noise
Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is bothering you, ask us about upgrading to a variable-speed air conditioner. Most of these air conditioners cool at a sound level that’s similar to an everyday conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Adding a smart thermostat is a smart method to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you may be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. Most of these thermostats can pick up on your temperature preferences and then develop an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away and change temperatures as needed.
If you have an aging air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Getting a new air conditioner is a surefire method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.
Refrigerant Style
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 due to its damaging effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner uses R-22 by looking at the sticker on the outside unit, which will list the refrigerant type.
If your air conditioner is running fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops a refrigerant leak, solving the problem will be expensive. That’s because Freon is only available in decreased, recycled amounts.
Newer air conditioners have Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just use Puron in a Freon air conditioner, because pressure requirements are different.
Our Techs Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free
If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, 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 build over the years.
We know that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why working with Cooler Tymes LLC for air conditioning installation in Litchfield Park and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our technicians will help you select the right solution 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 623-208-6444 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!