With ample maintenance, your air conditioner will offer worry-free service for a long time. But, just like any other thing in your house, it will eventually need replacement. Knowing when to get a new one is key to avoid costly repairs, higher electrical bills and interruptions to your comfort.
When it involves being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Wallpe Heating & Cooling professionals 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 aspects you should consider when you’re thinking about upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.
Age
Most of the time, the Department of Energy says the majority of air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s wise to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for installation.
Reliability
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 dependable it’s time to get started considering getting an updated one.
Repair Expenses
Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s normal for it to need several little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the price of a new air conditioner, it’s smarter to just install a new one.
Energy Efficiency
Every air conditioner has 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 rules. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it wears out.
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 might 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 extra rebates.
Comfort
Are you cool when your air conditioner is working? Or are you constantly turning down the temperature to remain cool? An old air conditioner might struggle to keep your home comfortable because 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 at full speed constantly, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.
Noise
Your air conditioner should deliver cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, ask 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
Adding a smart thermostat is a good method to stay on top of energy efficiency, with not much effort necessary 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 pick up on 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 accordingly.
If you have an aging air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Upgrading your air conditioner is a wise approach to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.
Refrigerant Kind
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably runs on Freon®. Also known as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being made due to its damaging effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner has R-22 by reviewing 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 run on Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just put Puron in a Freon air conditioner, as pressure requirements are different.
Our Professionals Make Air Conditioning Installation Hassle-Free
If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, consider 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 add up over time.
We know that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why working with Wallpe Heating & Cooling for air conditioning installation in Greensburg and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our professionals will help you select 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.
Call us at 812-663-7252 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!