With proper maintenance, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free cooling for years. But, just like any other thing in your home, it will eventually need to be replaced. Knowing when to install a new one is important to prevent costly repairs, higher utility bills and comfort disruptions.
When it involves keeping cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Street Heating and Cooling pros have your best interests at the forefront. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner requires replacement. Here are several things you should consider when you’re thinking about upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.
Age
Typically, the Department of Energy says many air conditioners run for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s smart to start planning for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for installation.
Trustworthiness
How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the hottest days? Or is it regularly breaking down? When your air conditioner becomes less reliable it’s time to start considering getting an updated one.
Repair Expenses
Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s expected 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 wiser to just replace it.
Energy Efficiency
Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which ranks how efficiently it uses electricity to make cooling. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER to meet federal rules. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it gets older.
Now, 15–18 SEER is a popular ranking, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with greater SEER ratings are usually costlier but could pay for themselves over time through improved energy savings. And purchasing an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for added rebates.
Comfort
Are you comfy when your air conditioner is on? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An older air conditioner might have problems keeping your home comfortable because of reduced efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed all the time, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.
Noise
Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is bothering you, ask us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. Most of these air conditioners operate at a sound level that’s comparable to a normal conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Getting a smart thermostat is a wise way to stay on top of energy efficiency, with very little effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you could be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for a greatly reduced price. Most 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 adjust settings as necessary.
If you rely on an outdated 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 Kind
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely uses Freon®. Also referred to as 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 reviewing the sticker on the outside unit, which will include the refrigerant style.
If your air conditioner is working fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever has a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be pricey. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in decreased, recycled amounts.
Newer air conditioners have Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just add Puron in a Freon air conditioner, because pressure requirements are different.
Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Hassle-Free
If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, think about 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 know that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why partnering with Street Heating and Cooling for air conditioning installation in Rapid City and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our pros will help you choose the right option 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 accommodate your budget.
Reach us at 605-206-3915 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!