With adequate maintenance, your air conditioner will provide worry-free cooling for a long time. But, like any other thing in your residence, it will at some point need to be upgraded. Knowing when to get a new one is essential to avoid pricey repairs, expensive energy bills and interruptions to your comfort.
When it involves being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our James Heating & A/C, Inc specialists have your best interests at the forefront. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. Here are a couple of points you should consider when you’re thinking about upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.
Age
In most instances, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners run for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s wise to get started planning for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a new one.
Reliability
How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the hottest days? Or is it regularly breaking down? When your air conditioner is less trustworthy it’s time to get started thinking about getting an upgraded one.
Repair Expenses
Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s anticipated for it to need several small repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the cost of a new air conditioner, it’s wiser to just install a new one.
Energy Efficiency
Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which measures how well it uses electricity to produce chilled air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER per federal mandates. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it ages.
Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular ranking, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with bigger SEER ratings are often costlier but could pay for themselves over the years 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 comfy when your air conditioner is working? Or are you often switching the temperature to keep cool? An old air conditioner could have problems keeping your residence comfortable as a result of reduced efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling on high constantly, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.
Noise
Your air conditioner should give cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is a concern, ask us about installing a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners operate at a sound level that’s like an everyday conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Installing a smart thermostat is a smart way to keep up with energy efficiency, with minimal effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates available by your utility company, you could be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for a greatly reduced price. The majority of these thermostats can learn from your temperature preferences and then make an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away and adjust settings as necessary.
If you use an outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Getting a new air conditioner is a surefire approach to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.
Refrigerant Kind
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely uses Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being manufactured due to 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 style.
If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be expensive. That’s because 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, as pressure requirements are different.
Our Professionals Make Air Conditioning Installation Hassle-Free
If you’re still trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, 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 add up as time passes.
We know that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why collaborating with James Heating & A/C, Inc for air conditioning installation in Lexington and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our professionals will help you select the right option 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.
Get in touch with us at 336-853-6070 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!