With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free performance for a long time. But, like any other thing in your residence, it will ultimately need to be updated. Knowing when to get a new one is key to prevent pricey repairs, costly energy bills and interruptions to your comfort.
When it comes to being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Fire & Ice HVAC pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner should be replaced. Here are a couple of points you should consider when you’re thinking about replacing your 15-year-old air conditioner.
Age
Typically, the Department of Energy says many air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s recommended to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a replacement.
Trustworthiness
How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the hottest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less dependable it’s time to start considering getting an updated one.
Repair Bills
Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s anticipated 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 recommended to just get a new one.
Energy Efficiency
Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which measures 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 laws. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it gets older.
Now, 15–18 SEER is a popular range, 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 time through more energy savings. And getting 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 running? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An old air conditioner could have trouble keeping 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 operating at full speed all the time, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.
Noise
Your air conditioner should give cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, check with us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. Many 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 minimal effort necessary from you. And, depending on the rebates available from your utility company, you might be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for very little. Many of these thermostats can pick up on your temperature preferences and then develop an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or gone and change temperatures as necessary.
If you rely on an aging 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 Style
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being manufactured because of its negative 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 list the refrigerant kind.
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 costly. That’s since Freon is only available in limited, recycled amounts.
Newer air conditioners use Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just add Puron in a Freon air conditioner, since pressure requirements are different.
Our Techs Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy
If you’re still deciding whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, 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 accumulate as time passes.
We realize that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why partnering with Fire & Ice HVAC for air conditioning installation in Woodbridge and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our pros will help you choose the right model 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 fit your budget.
Get in touch with us at 703-595-4157 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!