With adequate service, your air conditioner will provide worry-free service for a long time. But, like any other thing in your home, it will ultimately need to be upgraded. Knowing when to get a new one is essential to skip costly repairs, higher utility bills and interrupted comfort.
When it includes staying cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Integrity AC & Heating LLC pros have your best interests at the forefront. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. Here are several points you should consider when you’re thinking about upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.
Age
Typically, the Department of Energy says many air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s wise to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a replacement.
Trustworthiness
How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the warmest days? Or is it regularly breaking down? When your air conditioner starts becoming less dependable it’s time to get started preparing to get an upgraded one.
Repair Costs
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 price of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just get a new one.
Energy Efficiency
Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which rates how efficiently it expends electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER per federal rules. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency 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 bigger SEER ratings are often pricier but may pay for themselves over time 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 cool when your air conditioner is working? Or are you continuously switching the temperature to remain cool? An old air conditioner might struggle to keep your home comfortable because of reduced efficiency. A modern 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 work at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.
Noise
Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, ask us about upgrading to 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
Installing a smart thermostat is a wise way to stay on top of energy efficiency, with very little effort necessary from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you might be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. The majority of these thermostats can pick up on your temperature preferences and then make an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or gone and change temperatures accordingly.
If you rely on an older air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Upgrading your air conditioner is a smart approach to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.
Refrigerant Kind
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being produced as a result of its bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner runs on R-22 by checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant style.
If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be costly. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in reduced, 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 Pros Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy
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 goes by.
We know that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why collaborating with Integrity AC & Heating LLC for air conditioning installation in Phoenix and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our professionals will help you find the right model 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 accommodate your budget.
Get in touch with us at 602-971-0567 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!