With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free service for years. But, similar to any other thing in your house, it will eventually need replacement. Knowing when to get a new one is key to skip pricey repairs, higher utility bills and comfort disruptions.

When it comes to being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Home Comfort Heating & Air specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. Here are a few points you should consider when you’re thinking about updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

In most instances, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s smart to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for installation.

Trustworthiness

How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the toastiest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less dependable it’s time to begin considering getting an updated one.

Repair Expenses

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s anticipated 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 smarter to just replace it.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has 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 at minimum 13 SEER to meet federal guidelines. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it gets older.

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular range, 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 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 running? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An old air conditioner might have trouble keeping your residence comfy as a result of decreased efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed continuously, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should deliver cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, call us about getting 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

Adding a smart thermostat is a good approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort necessary from you. And, depending on the rebates available from your utility company, you may be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. Many 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 gone and adjust temperatures as necessary.

If you have 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 Type

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being made because of its bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner runs on R-22 by looking at the sticker on the outside unit, which will include the refrigerant kind.

If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever experiences a refrigerant leak, solving the problem will be costly. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in decreased, 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 Hassle-Free

If you’re still deciding whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, think over this. The Department of Energy says doing air conditioning replacement for a 10-year-old model can result in 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really accumulate as time passes.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why collaborating with Home Comfort Heating & Air for air conditioning installation in Elk River and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our pros 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 work with your budget.

Call us at 763-276-0617 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!