With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free cooling for many years. But, just like any other machine in your home, it will ultimately need to be upgraded. Knowing when to get a new one is important to skip pricey repairs, costly utility bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it involves being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Edington Heating & Cooling Inc professionals 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

In most instances, 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 wise to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a replacement.

Trustworthiness

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

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s expected 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 comes with a SEER rating, which rates how well it uses electricity to make 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 less efficient as it gets older.

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular ranking, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with greater SEER ratings are usually costlier but might pay for themselves over time through more energy savings. And installing 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 constantly dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An old air conditioner might struggle to keep your house comfy because of decreased efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed continuously, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a smart method to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates offered by your utility company, you could 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 create an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away and adjust 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 Style

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being made because of its negative effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner uses R-22 by checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will include the refrigerant kind.

If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever experiences a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be expensive. That’s since Freon is only available in limited, 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 Pros Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

If you’re still debating 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 add up as time passes.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why working with Edington Heating & Cooling Inc for air conditioning installation in Troy and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our techs will help you find the right option 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 fit your budget.

Call us at 937-558-9478 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!