With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free performance for years. But, like any other machine in your home, it will ultimately need replacement. Knowing when to get a new one is key to prevent pricey repairs, higher energy bills and comfort disruptions.

When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Stephen Hurst Pack Heating and Cooling pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. Here are a few points you should consider when you’re thinking about replacing your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

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

Reliability

How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the toastiest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less trustworthy it’s time to initiate preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Costs

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s anticipated 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 wiser to just install a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which measures how well it expends electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER per federal laws. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it gets older.

Now, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with higher SEER ratings are often costlier but could pay for themselves over their life span through more energy savings. And purchasing an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for additional rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfortable when your air conditioner is on? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An older air conditioner could struggle to keep your house comfy because of reduced efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running 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, call us about installing a variable-speed air conditioner. Most of these air conditioners cool at a sound level that’s like a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Installing a smart thermostat is a smart way to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort necessary from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you might be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. Most of these thermostats can adjust to your temperature preferences and then make an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or out and about and change 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 smart method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Type

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably 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 uses R-22 by reviewing the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant style.

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

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

Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

If you’re still trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, think about 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 add up as time goes by.

We know that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why collaborating with Stephen Hurst Pack Heating and Cooling for air conditioning installation in Circleville and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our technicians will help you select 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 fit your budget.

Get in touch with us at 740-474-5940 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!