With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free performance for years. But, like any other machine in your home, it will at some point need replacement. Knowing when to replace it is key to skip pricey repairs, expensive electrical bills and comfort disruptions.

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

Age

Most of the time, 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 start preparing for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for installation.

Trustworthiness

How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool dependably, even on the warmest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less dependable it’s time to initiate considering getting an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s normal for it to need a handful of small repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the cost of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just get a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which rates how efficiently it uses electricity to create cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER according to federal guidelines. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it ages.

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular range, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with bigger SEER ratings are often costlier but may pay for themselves over the years through increased energy savings. And getting an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for extra rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfy when your air conditioner is working? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An aging air conditioner might have trouble keeping your home comfy due to lower efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed constantly, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should give cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is a concern, call us about installing a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners cool at a sound level that’s similar to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Installing a smart thermostat is a good approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates available from your utility company, you might be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. Many of these thermostats can adjust to 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 change temperatures as necessary.

If you rely on an older air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Upgrading your air conditioner is a smart method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Kind

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also known as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being manufactured because of its damaging effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner has R-22 by checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant style.

If your air conditioner is working fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops a refrigerant leak, solving the problem will be costly. That’s since Freon is only available in reduced, recycled amounts.

Newer air conditioners use Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just add Puron in a Freon air conditioner, as pressure requirements are different.

Our Pros Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

If you’re still trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, think about 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 passes.

We know that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why working with ACS Heating and Air Conditioning for air conditioning installation in Tucker and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our techs will help you select the right option 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 accommodate your budget.

Call us at 770-450-1539 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!