With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free cooling for many years. But, just like any other thing in your residence, it will at some point need to be upgraded. Knowing when to install a new one is key to skip pricey repairs, higher electrical bills and interruptions to your comfort.
When it comes to being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Air Commander's Heating & Air Conditioning Co. pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner should be replaced. Here are a couple of points you should consider when you’re thinking about updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.
Age
In most instances, the Department of Energy says many air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s recommended to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for a new one.
Trustworthiness
How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the toastiest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less dependable it’s time to begin considering getting an updated one.
Repair Costs
Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s expected for it to need a handful of little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the cost of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just replace it.
Energy Efficiency
Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which ranks how proficiently it consumes electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER to meet federal rules. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it wears out.
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 often costlier but may pay for themselves over time 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 added rebates.
Comfort
Are you comfy when your air conditioner is on? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An aging air conditioner might have problems keeping your residence comfy because of reduced efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed continuously, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.
Noise
Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, check with us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. Most of these air conditioners run at a sound level that’s similar to a regular conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Getting a smart thermostat is a good approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates available from your utility company, you could be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. Many of these thermostats can adjust to your temperature preferences and then create an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away and adjust temperatures as necessary.
If you use an outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Installing a new air conditioner is a wise 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 bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner has 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, fixing the problem will be costly. That’s since Freon is only available in decreased, recycled amounts.
Newer air conditioners have Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just add Puron in a Freon air conditioner, because 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 over 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 over the years.
We know that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why working 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 choose the right model 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 work with your budget.
Call us at 863-216-2923 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!