With adequate service, your air conditioner will provide worry-free service for many years. But, similar to any other machine in your house, it will eventually need to be upgraded. Knowing when to get a new one is important to skip costly repairs, higher electrical bills and comfort disruptions.
When it includes staying cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Bishop Heating & Air Conditioning professionals have your best interests at the forefront. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner requires replacement. Here are a few points you should consider when you’re thinking about upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.
Age
In most instances, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s wise to start planning for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for installation.
Reliability
How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the toastiest days? Or is it regularly malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less dependable it’s time to start considering getting an upgraded one.
Repair Costs
Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s anticipated 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 get a new one.
Energy Efficiency
Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which rates how proficiently it expends electricity to create cooling. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER per federal rules. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it wears out.
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 more expensive but could 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 comfortable when your air conditioner is working? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An aging air conditioner could struggle to keep your home comfortable because of reduced efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed continuously, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.
Noise
Your air conditioner should deliver cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, ask us about upgrading to a variable-speed air conditioner. Many of these air conditioners operate at a sound level that’s like an everyday conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Adding a smart thermostat is a good method to keep up with energy efficiency, with minimal effort needed 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 a greatly reduced price. The majority 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 gone and adjust settings as needed.
If you rely on an outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Getting a new air conditioner is a wise way to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.
Refrigerant Style
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially uses Freon®. Also referred to as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being produced because of its damaging 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 show the refrigerant kind.
If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops a refrigerant leak, fixing the problem will be pricey. That’s since Freon is only available in reduced, recycled amounts.
Newer air conditioners use Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just add Puron in a Freon air conditioner, as pressure requirements are different.
Our Pros Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free
If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, 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 over the years.
We are aware that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why collaborating with Bishop Heating & Air Conditioning for air conditioning installation in Bishop and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our pros will help you find 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 work with your budget.
Call us at 760-784-9034 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!