With adequate maintenance, your air conditioner will provide worry-free service for a long time. But, like any other appliance in your residence, it will at some point need to be updated. Knowing when to get a new one is essential to avoid expensive repairs, higher utility bills and interrupted comfort.
When it comes to keeping cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Gopher Heating and Air Conditioning pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. 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 work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s wise to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for a new one.
Reliability
How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the warmest days? Or is it frequently breaking down? When your air conditioner is less dependable it’s time to get started thinking about getting a new one.
Repair Bills
Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s anticipated for it to need a few minor repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the expenses 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 measures how well it expends electricity to create cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER according to federal mandates. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it wears out.
As of 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 usually more expensive but may pay for themselves over their life span through more 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 comfortable when your air conditioner is running? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An old air conditioner might struggle to keep your house comfy because of reduced efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full blast constantly, these air conditioners work 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, ask us about upgrading to a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners operate at a sound level that’s similar to a normal conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Installing a smart thermostat is a wise way to stay on top of energy efficiency, with very little effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you may be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for a greatly reduced price. Many of these thermostats can learn from your temperature preferences and then develop an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or gone and change settings as necessary.
If you have an outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Upgrading your air conditioner is a wise approach to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.
Refrigerant Type
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being made due to 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 experiences a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be expensive. That’s because Freon is only available in limited, recycled amounts.
Newer air conditioners have Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just put Puron in a Freon air conditioner, as pressure requirements are different.
Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy
If you’re still trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner within the immediate future, think over 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 over time.
We realize that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why partnering with Gopher Heating and Air Conditioning for air conditioning installation in Savage and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our techs will help you select 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 fit your budget.
Reach us at 952-373-0377 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!