With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free cooling for a long time. But, just like any other appliance in your home, it will eventually need replacement. Knowing when to install a new one is key to skip pricey repairs, higher energy bills and comfort disruptions.

When it includes being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Northwest Services pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. 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 most air conditioners run for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s smart to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a new one.

Dependability

How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the warmest days? Or is it regularly malfunctioning? When your air conditioner is less trustworthy it’s time to initiate preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s normal 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 includes a SEER rating, which measures how well 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.

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular ranking, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with higher SEER ratings are often costlier but could pay for themselves over their life span through increased 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 continuously dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An aging air conditioner could have trouble keeping your house comfy as a result of decreased 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 run at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Installing a smart thermostat is a wise approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort required 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 a greatly reduced price. Most of these thermostats can pick up on 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 temperatures as necessary.

If you use an outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Installing a new air conditioner is a surefire method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Style

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being made 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 running 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 use Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just put Puron in a Freon air conditioner, since pressure requirements are different.

Our Techs Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

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 provide 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really add up as time goes by.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why working with Northwest Services for air conditioning installation in Swanton and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our techs will help you choose the right model 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 fit your budget.

Get in touch with us at 419-548-5017 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!