With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free cooling for years. But, just like any other machine in your house, it will at some point need to be replaced. Knowing when to replace it is key to skip expensive repairs, costly electrical bills and interruptions to your comfort.
When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Siloam Springs Heating & AC professionals have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. Here are a few things you should consider when you’re thinking about upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.
Age
In most instances, the Department of Energy says many air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s recommended to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a replacement.
Trustworthiness
How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool dependably, even on the warmest days? Or is it frequently needing repairs? When your air conditioner becomes less dependable it’s time to get started preparing to get a new one.
Repair Bills
Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s normal for it to need several minor repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the expenses of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just get a new one.
Energy Efficiency
Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which measures how proficiently it expends electricity to create cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER to meet federal laws. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it gets older.
As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with greater SEER ratings are often more expensive but could pay for themselves over time 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 extra rebates.
Comfort
Are you comfortable when your air conditioner is running? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An aging air conditioner might struggle to keep your residence comfortable because of lower efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full blast all the time, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.
Noise
Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, ask us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners run at a sound level that’s like a regular conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Adding a smart thermostat is a good approach to keep up with energy efficiency, with minimal effort necessary 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 not much. The majority 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 change settings as needed.
If you rely on an older air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Getting a new air conditioner is a wise approach to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.
Refrigerant Style
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably relies on Freon®. Also known as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being made due to its negative 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 include the refrigerant kind.
If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops a refrigerant leak, solving the problem will be expensive. That’s since Freon is only available in limited, recycled amounts.
Newer air conditioners use Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just use Puron in a Freon air conditioner, since pressure requirements are different.
Our Professionals Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free
If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner within the immediate future, think over 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 over time.
We are aware that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why working with Siloam Springs Heating & AC for air conditioning installation in Siloam Springs and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our techs will help you choose the right solution 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 accommodate your budget.
Call us at 479-308-8176 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!