With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free cooling for a long time. But, similar to any other thing in your home, it will eventually need to be replaced. Knowing when to replace it is important to avoid pricey repairs, costly electrical bills and interrupted comfort.

When it includes being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Everest Heating & Cooling professionals have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner requires replacement. Here are several points you should consider when you’re thinking about updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

In most instances, the Department of Energy says the majority of air conditioners last 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 fails so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for a new one.

Dependability

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 trustworthy it’s time to start preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Costs

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

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which measures how efficiently it uses electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER according to federal laws. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it ages.

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 costlier but might 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 comfortable when your air conditioner is working? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An old air conditioner may struggle to keep your home comfy as a result of decreased efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed continuously, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should give 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 operate at a sound level that’s like a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Getting a smart thermostat is a good approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort necessary 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 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 out and about and change temperatures as necessary.

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

Refrigerant Type

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being produced because of its bad 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 style.

If your air conditioner is running fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever experiences a refrigerant leak, solving the problem will be pricey. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in decreased, recycled amounts.

Newer air conditioners run on Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just add Puron in a Freon air conditioner, as pressure requirements are different.

Our Professionals Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

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 build up over time.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why collaborating with Everest Heating & Cooling for air conditioning installation in Lansing and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our techs will help you choose the right model 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 work with your budget.

Get in touch with us at 913-845-9463 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!