With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free cooling for years. But, just like any other machine in your home, it will at some point need to be replaced. Knowing when to replace it is essential to prevent pricey repairs, higher utility bills and comfort disruptions.

When it comes to being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Gopher Heating and Air Conditioning specialists 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 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 run for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s smart to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for a new one.

Dependability

How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool dependably, even on the warmest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less reliable it’s time to begin considering getting an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s anticipated for it to need a few minor repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the price of a new air conditioner, it’s wiser to just get a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which measures how proficiently it expends electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER per federal rules. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it ages.

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with bigger SEER ratings are usually costlier but may pay for themselves over the years 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 extra rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfortable when your air conditioner is on? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An old air conditioner could have trouble keeping your house comfy as a result of reduced efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed constantly, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Getting a smart thermostat is a smart way to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort required 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 adjust to your temperature preferences and then develop an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or out and about and adjust temps as necessary.

If you have an aging air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Getting a new air conditioner is a surefire method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Kind

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being manufactured 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 list the refrigerant style.

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 costly. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in limited, recycled amounts.

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

Our Techs 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, consider this. The Department of Energy says doing air conditioning replacement for a 10-year-old model can lead to 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really accumulate as time goes by.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why collaborating with Gopher Heating and Air Conditioning for air conditioning installation in Savage and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our professionals will help you find the right solution 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.

Get in touch with us at 952-373-0377 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!