With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free cooling for a long time. But, like any other machine in your house, it will eventually need to be upgraded. Knowing when to get a new one is key to skip pricey repairs, costly energy bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it involves being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our ACS Heating and Air Conditioning pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner requires replacement. Here are a couple of points you should consider when you’re thinking about replacing your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

In most instances, the Department of Energy says the majority of air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s wise to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for a new one.

Trustworthiness

How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool dependably, even on the toastiest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less reliable it’s time to begin preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Costs

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s anticipated for it to need a handful of minor repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the cost of a new air conditioner, it’s smarter to just install a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which rates how efficiently it consumes electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER to meet federal mandates. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it wears out.

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 may pay for themselves over their life span through improved energy savings. And getting an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for additional rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfortable when your air conditioner is working? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An older air conditioner might have trouble keeping your home comfy because of 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 run at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Getting a smart thermostat is a smart approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort required from you. And, depending on the rebates offered by your utility company, you might 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 temps as necessary.

If you rely on an outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Getting a new air conditioner is a smart method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Type

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 manufactured because of its damaging 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 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, repairing the problem will be expensive. That’s due to the fact 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, because pressure requirements are different.

Our Professionals Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

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 lead to 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really add up over the years.

We are aware 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 stress-free and affordable. Our pros will help you find 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 work with your budget.

Get in touch with us at 770-450-1539 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!