With proper maintenance, your air conditioner will offer worry-free service for many years. But, just like any other thing in your residence, it will at some point need replacement. Knowing when to install a new one is essential to avoid expensive repairs, costly energy bills and comfort disruptions.
When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Appalachian Heating professionals have your best interests at the forefront. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner requires replacement. Here are a couple of things 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 run for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s recommended to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for a replacement.
Trustworthiness
How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the warmest days? Or is it frequently breaking down? When your air conditioner is less dependable it’s time to start considering getting an upgraded one.
Repair Expenses
Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s anticipated for it to need a handful of 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 replace it.
Energy Efficiency
Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which ranks how efficiently it expends electricity to create cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER per federal laws. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient 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 higher SEER ratings are typically costlier but could pay for themselves over their life span 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 additional rebates.
Comfort
Are you comfy when your air conditioner is working? Or are you constantly turning down the temperature to keep cool? An old air conditioner may struggle to keep your residence comfortable because of decreased efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of operating on high constantly, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.
Noise
Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is a concern, call us about installing a variable-speed air conditioner. Many of these air conditioners operate at a sound level that’s similar to a normal conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Adding a smart thermostat is a wise approach to stay on top of energy efficiency, with not much effort required from you. And, depending on the rebates offered 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 learn from your temperature preferences and then develop an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or gone and alter settings as needed.
If you use an aging 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 likely runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being made as a result of its negative effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner uses R-22 by looking at the sticker on the outside unit, which will include the refrigerant style.
If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be pricey. That’s because Freon is only available in reduced, recycled amounts.
Newer air conditioners use Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just use Puron in a Freon air conditioner, as pressure requirements are different.
Our Professionals 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 provide 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really accumulate over the years.
We realize that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why working with Appalachian Heating for air conditioning installation in Beckley and Mount Hope and surrounding areas is simple 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 work with your budget.
Reach us at 304-707-0600 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!