With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free cooling for years. But, just like any other appliance in your residence, it will at some point need to be upgraded. Knowing when to get a new one is important to avoid pricey repairs, higher electrical bills and comfort disruptions.

When it comes to being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Watts Electric & AC pros 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 few points you should consider when you’re thinking about updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

Typically, 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 halfway point. It’s recommended to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for installation.

Trustworthiness

How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the toastiest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less reliable it’s time to initiate preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Expenses

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s expected 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 wiser to just install a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which ranks how well it consumes electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER according to federal rules. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it wears out.

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular range, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with bigger SEER ratings are often costlier but could pay for themselves over the years through more energy savings. And purchasing an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for extra rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfy when your air conditioner is working? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An old air conditioner may have problems keeping your home comfy because of lower efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of operating at full speed continuously, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Getting a smart thermostat is a good method to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort required 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 very little. Most 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 away and adjust settings as necessary.

If you rely on an older air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Installing 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 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 looking at the sticker on the outside unit, which will include the refrigerant style.

If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever experiences a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be costly. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in reduced, 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 Pros Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

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 lead to 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really build up as time goes by.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why partnering with Watts Electric & AC for air conditioning installation in Columbia and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our professionals will help you choose the right solution 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 601-736-7362 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!