With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free service for many years. But, like any other machine in your house, it will ultimately need to be updated. Knowing when to get a new one is essential to avoid pricey repairs, costly energy bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it includes being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Stephen Hurst Pack Heating and Cooling 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 several 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 the majority of air conditioners run for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s smart to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a new one.

Reliability

How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the hottest days? Or is it regularly malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less trustworthy it’s time to initiate thinking about getting an updated one.

Repair Costs

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s expected for it to need a few 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 get a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which rates 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 becomes less efficient as it ages.

Now, 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 may pay for themselves over their life span 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 working? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An aging air conditioner could struggle to keep your residence comfy due to lower 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 speed all the time, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should deliver cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is a concern, ask us about upgrading to a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority 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 wise approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates available from your utility company, you may be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for very little. Many 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 gone and alter temps as necessary.

If you have an outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it.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

Refrigerant Type

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also known as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being produced because of its damaging 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 list the refrigerant kind.

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

Newer air conditioners have 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 Easy

If you’re still trying to decide 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 lead to 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really add up as time passes.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why working with Stephen Hurst Pack Heating and Cooling for air conditioning installation in Circleville and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our techs will help you select the right model 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 fit your budget.

Reach us at 740-474-5940 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!