With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free performance for years. But, similar to any other appliance in your house, it will at some point need to be updated. Knowing when to get a new one is essential to avoid pricey repairs, expensive utility bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our All Weather Heating & Air Conditioning Inc 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

On average, the Department of Energy says the majority of air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s recommended to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for a replacement.

Trustworthiness

How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the warmest days? Or is it regularly malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less dependable it’s time to begin preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Costs

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s normal for it to need a handful of 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 proficiently it expends electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER to meet federal rules. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it ages.

As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular ranking, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with bigger SEER ratings are often costlier but may pay for themselves over the years through improved 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 comfortable when your air conditioner is working? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An aging air conditioner may struggle to keep your home comfy as a result of lower efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed continuously, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is a concern, check with us about installing 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

Adding a smart thermostat is a wise method to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much 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 a greatly reduced price. Many of these thermostats can pick up on your temperature preferences and then make an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or gone and adjust settings as necessary.

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

Refrigerant Style

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably 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 style.

If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever experiences a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be costly. 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, since pressure requirements are different.

Our Techs Make Air Conditioning Installation Hassle-Free

If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner within the immediate future, consider 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 add up as time passes.

We are aware that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why collaborating with All Weather Heating & Air Conditioning Inc for air conditioning installation in Huntsville and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our pros will help you find the right option for your needs and then review 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 256-801-4701 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!