What's the Right Time to Replace My 15-Year-Old Air Conditioner?

With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free cooling for years. But, just like any other thing in your house, it will at some point need to be updated. Knowing when to get a new one is important to skip pricey repairs, higher utility bills and comfort disruptions.

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

Age

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

Trustworthiness

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

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s normal for it to need several 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 install a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which ranks how well it expends electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER according to federal laws. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it gets older.

As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular range, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with greater SEER ratings are often costlier but could pay for themselves over time through increased 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 running? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An old air conditioner may have problems keeping your residence comfy as a result of decreased efficiency. A new 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 fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should deliver cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, check with us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. Many 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 way to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort required 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 a greatly reduced price. The majority 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 gone and adjust settings as necessary.

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

Refrigerant Type

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being produced because of its negative 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 show the refrigerant type.

If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops a refrigerant leak, solving the problem will be costly. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in decreased, 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 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 build up over the years.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why partnering with Central Air LLC for air conditioning installation in Brookfield and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our pros will help you find the right solution 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 203-357-5913 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!