With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free performance for many years. But, just like any other thing in your residence, it will ultimately need replacement. Knowing when to replace it is important to prevent pricey repairs, costly utility bills and comfort disruptions.

When it involves being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. Here are several points you should consider when you’re thinking about updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

Typically, the Department of Energy says many air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s recommended to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a replacement.

Trustworthiness

How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the hottest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner is less reliable it’s time to start thinking about getting an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s normal for it to need several little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the price of a new air conditioner, it’s smarter to just get a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which ranks how proficiently it consumes electricity to create cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER to meet federal laws. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it gets older.

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 could pay for themselves over the years 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 extra rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfortable when your air conditioner is working? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An older air conditioner could have trouble keeping your home comfy because of reduced 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 all the time, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Getting a smart thermostat is a wise method to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort necessary 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 a greatly reduced price. The majority of these thermostats can pick up on your temperature preferences and then create an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away and alter settings as necessary.

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

Refrigerant Kind

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially runs on Freon®. Also called 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 has R-22 by reviewing the sticker on the outside unit, which will list the refrigerant kind.

If your air conditioner is working fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever has a refrigerant leak, solving the problem will be pricey. That’s since Freon is only available in decreased, recycled amounts.

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

Our Techs Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner within the immediate future, 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 build up over time.

We know 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 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 work with your budget.

Call us at 662-281-1231 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!