With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free service for many years. But, similar to any other thing in your residence, it will at some point need to be updated. Knowing when to get a new one is essential to avoid pricey repairs, costly utility bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it comes to being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Air Commander's Heating & Air Conditioning Co. specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner should be replaced. Here are a few points you should consider when you’re thinking about replacing your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

On average, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s recommended to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for installation.

Reliability

How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the hottest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner is less dependable it’s time to begin considering getting an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s expected for it to need a few little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the cost of a new air conditioner, it’s smarter to just install a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which ranks how proficiently it expends electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER according to federal mandates. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it gets older.

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular ranking, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with higher SEER ratings are often costlier but may pay for themselves over their life span 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 added rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfy when your air conditioner is running? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An aging air conditioner could struggle to keep your home comfy due to reduced efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed constantly, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, call 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

Installing a smart thermostat is a wise approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort necessary 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. Many of these thermostats can learn from your temperature preferences and then create 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 rely on an older air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Getting a new air conditioner is a wise method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Type

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially runs on Freon®. Also known as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being produced because of its bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner uses R-22 by looking at the sticker on the outside unit, which will list the refrigerant type.

If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever has a refrigerant leak, solving the problem will be costly. That’s because Freon is only available in decreased, recycled amounts.

Newer air conditioners run on Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just put Puron in a Freon air conditioner, as pressure requirements are different.

Our Techs Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

If you’re still trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, think about 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 as time passes.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why collaborating with Air Commander's Heating & Air Conditioning Co. for air conditioning installation in Haines City and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our technicians will help you find 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 accommodate your budget.

Reach us at 863-216-2923 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!