With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free performance for many years. But, similar to any other thing in your house, it will eventually need to be updated. Knowing when to replace it is important to skip pricey repairs, costly electrical bills and interrupted comfort.

When it comes to being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Indoor Comfort Systems HVAC professionals have your best interests at heart. 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 updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

Most of the time, the Department of Energy says the majority of air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s wise to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for installation.

Reliability

How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool dependably, even on the warmest days? Or is it regularly malfunctioning? When your air conditioner is less trustworthy it’s time to initiate considering getting an updated one.

Repair Costs

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

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which ranks how well it uses electricity to create cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER per federal guidelines. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it gets older.

As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular range, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with bigger SEER ratings are usually costlier but might pay for themselves over time through increased energy savings. And purchasing 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 working? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An older air conditioner may have trouble keeping your house comfy due to reduced efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed continuously, these air conditioners run 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, check with us about installing a variable-speed air conditioner. Many of these air conditioners cool at a sound level that’s comparable to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Getting a smart thermostat is a wise approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates offered by your utility company, you may 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 make an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away and adjust temps as necessary.

If you have an outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Upgrading your air conditioner is a smart method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Style

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably runs on Freon®. Also known as 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 uses R-22 by reviewing the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant type.

If your air conditioner is working fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever has a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be costly. That’s due to the fact 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, as pressure requirements are different.

Our Professionals 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 result in 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really build up as time goes by.

We know that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why partnering with Indoor Comfort Systems HVAC for air conditioning installation in Croydon and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our technicians will help you choose the right option for your needs and then go over 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.

Reach us at 215-741-5505 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!