With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free performance for a long time. But, just like any other machine in your home, it will eventually need replacement. Knowing when to replace it is essential to avoid pricey repairs, expensive electrical bills and comfort disruptions.

When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Lanz Furnace and Fireplace professionals 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 several 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 smart 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 trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the hottest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner is less reliable it’s time to begin considering getting an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s anticipated for it to need a few minor repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the expenses 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 efficiently it consumes electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER according to federal laws. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency 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 bigger SEER ratings are often costlier but may pay for themselves over their life span through more energy savings. And getting 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 on? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An aging air conditioner may have problems keeping your house comfy because of reduced efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed continuously, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Installing a smart thermostat is a wise approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort necessary from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you could 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 develop an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or gone and adjust settings as necessary.

If you have an older air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Installing a new 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 manufactured because of its damaging effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner has R-22 by checking 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, solving the problem will be expensive. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in decreased, recycled amounts.

Newer air conditioners have 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 trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner within the immediate future, think about 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 accumulate over the years.

We are aware that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why collaborating with Lanz Furnace and Fireplace for air conditioning installation in Monroe and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our technicians will help you find 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 608-291-3606 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!