With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free service for many years. But, just like any other appliance in your house, it will ultimately need to be upgraded. Knowing when to install a new one is important to avoid pricey repairs, higher utility bills and comfort disruptions.
When it comes to being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our J & J Air Conditioning 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 several 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 work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s wise to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a replacement.
Dependability
How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the toastiest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less trustworthy it’s time to start considering getting an updated one.
Repair Expenses
Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s expected for it to need a handful of small repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the expenses of a new air conditioner, it’s smarter to just replace it.
Energy Efficiency
Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which measures how efficiently it expends electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER per federal guidelines. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it ages.
Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular range, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with greater SEER ratings are typically costlier but might pay for themselves over the years through increased energy savings. And getting 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 dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An aging air conditioner might have trouble keeping your home comfy due to lower efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed all the time, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.
Noise
Your air conditioner should give cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, ask us about installing a variable-speed air conditioner. Most of these air conditioners run at a sound level that’s like a regular conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Installing a smart thermostat is a wise way to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates offered by your utility company, you might be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for very little. The majority of these thermostats can adjust to your temperature preferences and then make 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 Type
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being made because of its bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner uses R-22 by reviewing the sticker on the outside unit, which will include the refrigerant kind.
If your air conditioner is running fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops a refrigerant leak, solving the problem will be costly. 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 Easy
If you’re still trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, 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 accumulate as time passes.
We realize that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why working with J & J Air Conditioning for air conditioning installation in Eastland and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our technicians will help you select 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 fit your budget.
Get in touch with us at 254-355-3833 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!