With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free cooling for many years. But, similar to any other thing in your home, it will eventually need to be updated. Knowing when to get a new one is essential to prevent pricey repairs, expensive electrical bills and comfort disruptions.

When it comes to being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Bell Air Conditioning Inc professionals have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding 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

In most instances, 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 preparing for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for a replacement.

Reliability

How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool dependably, even on the warmest days? Or is it regularly malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less trustworthy it’s time to start thinking about getting an updated one.

Repair Expenses

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s anticipated for it to need a handful of little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the price of a new air conditioner, it’s smarter to just get a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which ranks how well it consumes electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER per federal guidelines. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it wears out.

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 often costlier but could pay for themselves over the years through improved 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 continuously dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An old air conditioner might have problems keeping your house comfy because of reduced efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed all the time, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is a concern, call us about installing 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

Adding a smart thermostat is a good approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort required from you. And, depending on the rebates offered by your utility company, you may be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for a greatly reduced price. The majority of these thermostats can adjust to your temperature preferences and then develop an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or out and about and adjust temperatures as necessary.

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

Refrigerant Kind

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably runs on Freon®. Also called 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 uses R-22 by checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant kind.

If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be pricey. That’s because Freon is only available in reduced, 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 Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

If you’re still deciding whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, consider 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 add up as time goes by.

We are aware that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why partnering with Bell Air Conditioning Inc for air conditioning installation in Temple/Belton  and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our technicians will help you select the right solution for your needs and then review 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 254-307-9572 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!