With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free cooling for years. But, like any other machine in your house, it will at some point need to be upgraded. Knowing when to get a new one is essential to prevent pricey repairs, expensive utility bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it involves being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Walter's-Eaton's Electric, Plumbing, Heating & AC specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner should be replaced. Here are several points you should consider when you’re thinking about updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

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

Reliability

How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the hottest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less dependable it’s time to start preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Expenses

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s expected for it to need a few little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the price of a new air conditioner, it’s wiser to just install a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which measures how efficiently it consumes electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER to meet federal guidelines. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it wears out.

Now, 15–18 SEER is a popular range, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with higher SEER ratings are usually costlier but might pay for themselves over their life span through more energy savings. And installing an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for added rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfy when your air conditioner is running? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An aging air conditioner could have problems keeping your house comfy as a result of 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 continuously, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Getting a smart thermostat is a wise way to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you might be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for very little. Most 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 out and about and alter temperatures as necessary.

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

Refrigerant Type

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on 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 runs on R-22 by looking at the sticker on the outside unit, which will list the refrigerant type.

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

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

Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

If you’re still trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, think about 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 accumulate as time goes by.

We are aware that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why partnering with Walter's-Eaton's Electric, Plumbing, Heating & AC for air conditioning installation in Ellsworth and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our techs will help you find the right solution 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.

Get in touch with us at 715-318-6728 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!