With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free cooling for years. But, like any other appliance in your house, it will eventually need to be updated. Knowing when to install a new one is key to avoid pricey repairs, costly energy bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it includes being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our B & G HVAC specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. Here are a couple of points you should consider when you’re thinking about upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

On average, the Department of Energy says the majority of air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s smart to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it goes 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 malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less trustworthy it’s time to begin preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s expected for it to need a few little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the cost of a new air conditioner, it’s wiser to just get a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which ranks how well it uses electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER according to federal rules. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it gets older.

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 typically costlier but might pay for themselves over their life span through increased 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 running? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An old air conditioner might struggle to keep your house comfy because of lower efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of operating at full speed constantly, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, check with us about installing a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners run at a sound level that’s comparable to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Installing a smart thermostat is a smart method to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you might be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for very little. Most of these thermostats can pick up on 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 adjust settings as necessary.

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

Refrigerant Type

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also referred to as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being produced because of its negative effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner runs on R-22 by checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will include the refrigerant kind.

If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever experiences a refrigerant leak, fixing 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 put Puron in a Freon air conditioner, because pressure requirements are different.

Our Pros Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

If you’re still deciding whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner within the immediate future, 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 accumulate as time goes by.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why collaborating with B & G HVAC for air conditioning installation in Marshalltown and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our pros will help you select the right solution 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 accommodate your budget.

Call us at 641-316-3360 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!