With proper service, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free cooling for many years. But, like any other appliance in your house, it will eventually need to be updated. Knowing when to install a new one is important to skip costly repairs, costly energy bills and comfort disruptions.
When it includes staying cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Total Comfort specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out when your air conditioner requires replacement. Here are several things you should consider when you’re thinking about updating 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 recommended to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a replacement.
Dependability
How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the toastiest days? Or is it regularly malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less dependable it’s time to begin considering getting an upgraded one.
Repair Costs
Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s expected for it to need several little 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 ranks how proficiently it expends electricity to produce chilled air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER according to federal mandates. 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 bigger SEER ratings are often costlier but might 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 added rebates.
Comfort
Are you comfortable when your air conditioner is working? Or are you often switching the temperature to remain cool? An older air conditioner may have trouble keeping your residence comfortable due to lower efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of operating on high continuously, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.
Noise
Your air conditioner should give cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is bothering you, ask us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners run at a sound level that’s like a normal conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Installing a smart thermostat is a smart way to keep up with energy efficiency, with very little effort required from you. And, depending on the rebates provided 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 gone and change temps as necessary.
If you use an aging air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Getting a new air conditioner is a wise way to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.
Refrigerant Kind
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely uses Freon®. Also referred to as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being manufactured because of its bad 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 kind.
If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever experiences a refrigerant leak, fixing the problem will be pricey. That’s because Freon is only available in decreased, recycled amounts.
Newer air conditioners have Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just put Puron in a Freon air conditioner, because pressure requirements are different.
Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy
If you’re still deciding whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner within the immediate future, consider 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 over time.
We are aware that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why working with Total Comfort for air conditioning installation in Franklin Lakes and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our pros will help you choose the right option 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 work with your budget.
Get in touch with us at 201-268-5663 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!