With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free performance for many years. But, similar to any other thing in your house, it will at some point need to be replaced. Knowing when to replace it is important to avoid pricey repairs, expensive energy bills and interrupted comfort.
When it comes to being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our B&D Air Conditioning professionals are looking out for your best interests. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. Here are a few aspects you should consider when you’re thinking about replacing your 15-year-old air conditioner.
Age
Typically, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners run 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 wears out so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for a new one.
Reliability
How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool dependably, even on the toastiest days? Or is it frequently breaking down? When your air conditioner starts becoming less trustworthy it’s time to begin considering getting a new one.
Repair Bills
Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s anticipated for it to need several minor repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the price of a new air conditioner, it’s smarter to just get a new one.
Energy Efficiency
Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which measures how proficiently it expends electricity to create cooling. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER per federal laws. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient 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 bigger SEER ratings are often costlier but could pay for themselves over time 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 extra rebates.
Comfort
Are you comfortable when your air conditioner is running? Or are you continuously turning down the temperature to remain cool? An aging air conditioner may have problems keeping your home cool due to reduced efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full blast continuously, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.
Noise
Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, call us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. Most of these air conditioners cool at a sound level that’s comparable to a normal conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Installing a smart thermostat is a smart approach to keep up with energy efficiency, with minimal effort needed 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 a greatly reduced price. The majority of these thermostats can adjust to your temperature preferences and then develop an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or gone and change temps as needed.
If you have an older air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Upgrading your air conditioner is a wise way to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.
Refrigerant Type
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being made as a result of its bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner uses R-22 by checking 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 has a refrigerant leak, fixing the problem will be costly. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in decreased, recycled amounts.
Newer air conditioners use Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just put Puron in a Freon air conditioner, as pressure requirements are different.
Our Pros Make Air Conditioning Installation Hassle-Free
If you’re still deciding 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 provide 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really accumulate over time.
We realize that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why working with B&D Air Conditioning for air conditioning installation in Safford and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our technicians will help you choose 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 work with your budget.
Call us at 928-432-6018 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!