With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free cooling for many years. But, similar to any other thing in your home, it will at some point need to be replaced. Knowing when to get a new one is key to prevent pricey repairs, higher energy bills and interrupted comfort.

When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our GV Heating & Air 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

On average, the Department of Energy says many air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s wise to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for a new one.

Trustworthiness

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

Repair Costs

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s anticipated for it to need a handful of minor repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the expenses of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just replace it.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which measures how well it uses electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER per federal mandates. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient 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 bigger SEER ratings are usually costlier but might pay for themselves over their life span through increased 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 comfortable when your air conditioner is on? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An aging air conditioner might struggle to keep your house comfy due to lower efficiency. A new 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 fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a smart method to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort necessary from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you may be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. Most of these thermostats can adjust to your temperature preferences and then create an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away and adjust temps as necessary.

If you rely on an outdated 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 probably runs on Freon®. Also called 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 checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will include the refrigerant kind.

If your air conditioner is working fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever experiences a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be expensive. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in limited, recycled amounts.

Newer air conditioners have Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just add Puron in a Freon air conditioner, as pressure requirements are different.

Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Hassle-Free

If you’re still trying to decide 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 build up as time goes by.

We are aware that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why collaborating with GV Heating & Air for air conditioning installation in Crystal and Twin Cities and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our technicians will help you find the right model 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.

Reach us at 763-535-2000 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!