With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free service for years. But, like any other appliance in your home, it will ultimately need to be upgraded. Knowing when to get a new one is key to avoid pricey repairs, costly utility bills and comfort disruptions.

When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Western Mechanical, Inc. professionals have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out when your air conditioner should be replaced. Here are a few 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 work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s smart to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for a new one.

Trustworthiness

How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the warmest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less dependable it’s time to initiate considering getting an updated one.

Repair Expenses

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s expected for it to need a few small repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the expenses of a new air conditioner, it’s wiser to just replace it.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which measures how well it expends electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER to meet federal rules. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it wears out.

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 their life span 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 added rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfy when your air conditioner is working? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An aging air conditioner could have trouble keeping your house comfy as a result of reduced efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed continuously, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is a concern, ask us about upgrading to a variable-speed air conditioner. Most of these air conditioners operate at a sound level that’s like a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Installing a smart thermostat is a good approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates available from your utility company, you might 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 create an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away and change 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 wise method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Style

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably runs on Freon®. Also known as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being made because of its negative effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner runs on R-22 by looking at 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, solving the problem will be costly. That’s since Freon is only available in reduced, 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 Hassle-Free

If you’re still deciding 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 add up over time.

We know that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why working with Western Mechanical, Inc. for air conditioning installation in Cache Valley and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our technicians will help you find the right model 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.

Call us at 435-753-5515 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!