With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free service for a long time. But, just like any other thing in your home, it will ultimately need to be updated. Knowing when to install a new one is important to skip expensive repairs, higher utility bills and interruptions to your comfort.
When it involves keeping cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc specialists have your best interests at the forefront. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out when your air conditioner requires replacement. Here are a couple of 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 the majority of air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s smart to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for installation.
Dependability
How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the warmest days? Or is it regularly needing repairs? When your air conditioner starts becoming less dependable it’s time to start preparing to get a new one.
Repair Costs
Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s expected for it to need a few small repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the cost of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just install a new one.
Energy Efficiency
Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which measures how efficiently it expends electricity to produce cooling. 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 ages.
Today, 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 pricier but might pay for themselves over their life span through improved energy savings. And getting 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 running? Or are you often switching the temperature to remain cool? An old air conditioner could struggle to keep your home 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 running at full blast constantly, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.
Noise
Your air conditioner should give cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is a concern, check with us about upgrading to a variable-speed air conditioner. Most of these air conditioners run 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 very little effort necessary from you. And, depending on the rebates offered by your utility company, you might be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. Many of these thermostats can learn from 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 change temps as needed.
If you have an outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Installing a new air conditioner is a smart approach to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.
Refrigerant Type
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially relies on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being made as a result of its bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner runs on R-22 by reviewing the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant kind.
If your air conditioner is running fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever has a refrigerant leak, solving the problem will be expensive. That’s because 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, since pressure requirements are different.
Our Professionals Make Air Conditioning Installation Hassle-Free
If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, think over 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 add up as time passes.
We are aware that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why working with Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc for air conditioning installation in Oxford and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our pros will help you select the right option 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 work with your budget.
Call us at 662-281-1231 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!