With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free cooling for a long time. But, similar to any other appliance in your home, it will at some point need to be updated. Knowing when to replace it is key to avoid pricey repairs, expensive electrical bills and comfort disruptions.

When it involves being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Central Heating & Plumbing professionals have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner should 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 many air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s wise to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for a new one.

Trustworthiness

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

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s anticipated for it to need a few small repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the cost of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just get a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which ranks how efficiently it expends electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER to meet federal mandates. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it gets older.

As of 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 typically costlier but might pay for themselves over the years through improved energy savings. And installing an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for added rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfortable when your air conditioner is working? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An old air conditioner could have trouble keeping your home comfy as a result of lower efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed constantly, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should deliver cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, check with us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners run at a sound level that’s comparable to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Getting a smart thermostat is a good way to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort required 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 pick up on your temperature preferences and then create an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or out and about and alter settings as necessary.

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

Refrigerant Kind

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially runs on Freon®. Also referred to 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 has R-22 by looking at the sticker on the outside unit, which will show 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 costly. That’s because Freon is only available in limited, recycled amounts.

Newer air conditioners have Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just use Puron in a Freon air conditioner, since pressure requirements are different.

Our Pros Make Air Conditioning Installation Hassle-Free

If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, consider 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 accumulate over the years.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why partnering with Central Heating & Plumbing for air conditioning installation in New Castle and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our professionals will help you find the right solution 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 accommodate your budget.

Get in touch with us at 724-401-1843 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!