With adequate service, your air conditioner will offer worry-free service for many years. But, just like any other appliance in your residence, it will ultimately need replacement. Knowing when to replace it is essential to avoid expensive repairs, costly electrical bills and comfort disruptions.
When it involves staying cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Kapaun & Brown Inc. specialists 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 most air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s recommended to get started planning for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for installation.
Reliability
How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the toastiest days? Or is it frequently breaking down? When your air conditioner becomes less reliable it’s time to get started thinking about getting an upgraded one.
Repair Costs
Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s expected for it to need a handful of little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the cost of a new air conditioner, it’s smarter to just get a new one.
Energy Efficiency
Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which measures how well it uses electricity to create cooling. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER according to federal rules. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency 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 more expensive but might pay for themselves over time through improved 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 comfy when your air conditioner is on? Or are you often turning down the temperature to keep cool? An aging air conditioner might struggle to keep your residence cool as a result of decreased efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of operating on high continuously, these air conditioners work 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 installing a variable-speed air conditioner. Many of these air conditioners operate at a sound level that’s similar to a normal conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Installing a smart thermostat is a smart method to keep up with energy efficiency, with minimal effort necessary from you. And, depending on the rebates available 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 gone and change temps accordingly.
If you rely on an older air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Getting a new air conditioner is a smart approach to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.
Refrigerant Type
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially uses Freon®. Also known as 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 type.
If your air conditioner is running fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever experiences a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be pricey. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in limited, 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 Pros Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy
If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner within the immediate future, consider 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 passes.
We realize that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why collaborating with Kapaun & Brown Inc. for air conditioning installation in Marshalltown and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our technicians will help you choose 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 fit your budget.
Get in touch with us at 641-812-2028 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!