With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free service for many years. But, similar to any other appliance in your residence, it will eventually need to be updated. Knowing when to get a new one is important to avoid pricey repairs, expensive utility bills and interrupted comfort.
When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Better Air pros have your best interests at heart. 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 updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.
Age
Typically, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s smart to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for a new one.
Trustworthiness
How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the warmest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less trustworthy it’s time to start considering getting an updated one.
Repair Bills
Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s expected for it to need a handful of minor 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 measures how well it uses electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER to meet federal mandates. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it wears out.
As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with higher SEER ratings are usually costlier but might pay for themselves over time through improved energy savings. And purchasing an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for added rebates.
Comfort
Are you comfy when your air conditioner is running? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An older air conditioner might struggle to keep your house comfy due to decreased efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed 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 a concern, check with us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. Most of these air conditioners operate at a sound level that’s comparable to a regular conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Getting a smart thermostat is a smart approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort required from you. And, depending on the rebates available from your utility company, you could be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. 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 away and change temps as necessary.
If you rely on an outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Installing a new air conditioner is a wise method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.
Refrigerant Style
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially runs on Freon®. Also referred to as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being manufactured because of its bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner uses R-22 by checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will list the refrigerant style.
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 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 put Puron in a Freon air conditioner, as pressure requirements are different.
Our Techs Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free
If you’re still deciding 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 up as time passes.
We realize that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why collaborating with Better Air for air conditioning installation in Dundas and Northfield and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our pros will help you find the right model for your needs and then review 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 507-663-1208 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!