With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free performance for years. But, similar to any other machine in your home, it will at some point need to be upgraded. Knowing when to get a new one is key to skip pricey repairs, expensive energy bills and comfort disruptions.

When it comes to being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Central Air LLC pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. Here are a couple of points you should consider when you’re thinking about replacing your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

Typically, 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 midpoint. It’s recommended to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for a new one.

Reliability

How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the hottest days? Or is it regularly malfunctioning? When your air conditioner is less reliable it’s time to begin thinking about getting an updated one.

Repair Costs

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

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which rates how well it uses electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER per federal mandates. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient 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 typically costlier but could pay for themselves over their life span through improved energy savings. And purchasing 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 running? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An older air conditioner may have trouble keeping your house comfy because of decreased 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 all the time, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is a concern, ask us about upgrading to a variable-speed air conditioner. Most of these air conditioners operate at a sound level that’s similar to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Installing a smart thermostat is a wise approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort required from you. And, depending on the rebates offered by your utility company, you may be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for a greatly reduced price. Most 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 use an outdated 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 known as 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 looking at the sticker on the outside unit, which will list the refrigerant kind.

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

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

Our Professionals Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, 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 over the years.

We are aware that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why partnering with Central Air LLC for air conditioning installation in Brookfield and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our pros will help you choose the right model for your needs and then review 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 203-357-5913 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!