With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free performance for years. But, similar to any other machine in your home, it will eventually need replacement. Knowing when to replace it is key to skip pricey repairs, expensive utility bills and interrupted comfort.

When it involves being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Home Comfort Heating & Air professionals have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding 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

Typically, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners run 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 fails so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for installation.

Trustworthiness

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

Repair Costs

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s expected for it to need a few small 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 well it uses electricity to create cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER to meet federal laws. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it ages.

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular ranking, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with bigger SEER ratings are typically costlier but may pay for themselves over their life span through improved 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 cool when your air conditioner is on? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An old air conditioner may struggle to keep your home comfy due to lower efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of operating at full speed all the time, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should give cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, call us about upgrading to a variable-speed air conditioner. Many 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 smart approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort necessary from you. And, depending on the rebates offered by your utility company, you could be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for a greatly reduced price. The majority of these thermostats can learn from your temperature preferences and then develop an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or out and about and adjust temps 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 probably runs on Freon®. Also called 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 runs on R-22 by reviewing 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 experiences a refrigerant leak, fixing the problem will be costly. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in limited, recycled amounts.

Newer air conditioners run on Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just put Puron in a Freon air conditioner, since pressure requirements are different.

Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Hassle-Free

If you’re still trying to decide 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 provide 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really accumulate as time goes by.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why working with Home Comfort Heating & Air for air conditioning installation in Elk River and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our technicians will help you select 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!