With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free performance for many years. But, similar to any other appliance in your residence, it will eventually need to be replaced. Knowing when to get a new one is important to avoid pricey repairs, costly electrical bills and interrupted comfort.

When it involves being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Pliescott HVAC Services LLC specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out when your air conditioner should be replaced. 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 the majority of air conditioners run for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s recommended to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for a new one.

Trustworthiness

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

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, 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 replace it.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which measures how proficiently it expends electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER per federal laws. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it ages.

As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular ranking, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with greater SEER ratings are usually costlier but might pay for themselves over time through increased 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 on? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An old air conditioner may struggle to keep your home comfy as a result of reduced efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of operating at full speed continuously, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should deliver cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is a concern, ask us about upgrading to 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 smart way to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal 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 not much. Many of these thermostats can adjust to your temperature preferences and then make an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or gone and adjust temperatures as necessary.

If you use an aging air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Upgrading your air conditioner is a smart method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Type

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being made because of its bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner uses R-22 by checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will include the refrigerant kind.

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

Newer air conditioners use Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just add Puron in a Freon air conditioner, since 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 now, think over 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 realize that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why working with Pliescott HVAC Services LLC for air conditioning installation in Cambridge and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our technicians will help you select the right solution 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 accommodate your budget.

Get in touch with us at 410-228-4822 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!