With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free performance for years. But, just like any other thing in your home, it will eventually need to be updated. Knowing when to replace it is key to avoid pricey repairs, costly electrical bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it includes being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our H&C Heating and Cooling specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner requires replacement. Here are a couple of points you should consider when you’re thinking about updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

On average, the Department of Energy says the majority of air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s smart to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for installation.

Reliability

How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the hottest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less reliable it’s time to begin considering getting an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s expected 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 smarter to just replace it.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which rates how proficiently it consumes electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER to meet federal mandates. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it ages.

As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with greater SEER ratings are usually costlier but may pay for themselves over their life span 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 extra rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfy when your air conditioner is on? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An old air conditioner may have problems keeping your residence comfy due to 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 all the time, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should deliver cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is bothering you, call us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. Most 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 offered by your utility company, you could be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for a greatly reduced price. The majority 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 alter settings as necessary.

If you rely on an aging 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 referred to as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being produced because of its bad 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 include the refrigerant kind.

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 pricey. That’s since Freon is only available in limited, recycled amounts.

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

Our Techs Make Air Conditioning Installation Hassle-Free

If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, think over 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 over time.

We know that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why partnering with H&C Heating and Cooling for air conditioning installation in Laurel and surrounding areas is simple 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 fit your budget.

Reach us at 301-960-3247 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!