With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free cooling for many years. But, similar to any other appliance in your home, it will ultimately need replacement. Knowing when to get a new one is key to skip pricey repairs, higher electrical bills and comfort disruptions.

When it comes to being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Struven Heating & Cooling specialists 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 couple of points you should consider when you’re thinking about updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

On average, the Department of Energy says the majority of air conditioners run for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s wise to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a new one.

Dependability

How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the hottest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less reliable it’s time to start thinking about getting an updated one.

Repair Expenses

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s normal for it to need a handful of little 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 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 loses efficiency as it gets older.

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 the years through more 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 continuously dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An old air conditioner could struggle to keep your home comfy because of lower efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed continuously, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should give cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is a concern, call us about upgrading to a variable-speed air conditioner. Many of these air conditioners cool at a sound level that’s similar to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding 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 could be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. Many 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 out and about and alter settings as necessary.

If you rely on an aging air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Installing a new air conditioner is a smart method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Style

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also known as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being made because of its bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner has R-22 by reviewing the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant type.

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 expensive. That’s because Freon is only available in limited, recycled amounts.

Newer air conditioners run on 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 Stress-Free

If you’re still trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, consider this. The Department of Energy says doing air conditioning replacement for a 10-year-old model can lead to 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really accumulate as time passes.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why partnering with Struven Heating & Cooling for air conditioning installation in Crown Point and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our professionals will help you find 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.

Call us at 219-292-0956 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!