With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free performance for years. But, like any other appliance in your home, it will ultimately need to be updated. Knowing when to install a new one is important to prevent pricey repairs, costly electrical bills and interrupted comfort.
When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Bell Air Conditioning Inc pros are looking out for your best interests. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out when your air conditioner should be replaced. Here are a couple of aspects you should consider when you’re thinking about upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.
Age
Typically, the Department of Energy says the majority of air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s wise to begin prepping for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for installation.
Reliability
How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the warmest days? Or is it regularly needing repairs? When your air conditioner becomes less reliable it’s time to begin preparing to get a new one.
Repair Costs
Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s anticipated for it to need a handful of small repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the price of a new air conditioner, it’s wiser to just install a new one.
Energy Efficiency
Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which measures how proficiently it uses electricity to create chilled air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER to meet federal mandates. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it gets older.
Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with greater SEER ratings are often more expensive but could pay for themselves over their life span 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 extra rebates.
Comfort
Are you comfy when your air conditioner is on? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An old air conditioner could have problems keeping your house comfy because of decreased efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running on high continuously, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.
Noise
Your air conditioner should deliver cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is a concern, call us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. Most of these air conditioners run at a sound level that’s comparable to a regular conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Getting a smart thermostat is a good approach to stay on top of energy efficiency, with very little effort needed 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 not much. The majority of these thermostats can learn from your temperature preferences and then create an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or gone and adjust settings as needed.
If you use an older air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Upgrading your air conditioner is a smart way to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.
Refrigerant Type
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely uses Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being manufactured due to its bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner uses R-22 by looking at the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant style.
If your air conditioner is running fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops 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 have Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just use Puron in a Freon air conditioner, as pressure requirements are different.
Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Hassle-Free
If you’re still deciding whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner within the immediate future, 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 add up over time.
We are aware that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why collaborating with Bell Air Conditioning Inc for air conditioning installation in Temple/Belton and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our techs will help you find 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 work with your budget.
Get in touch with us at 254-307-9572 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!