With adequate service, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free performance for a long time. But, like any other appliance in your home, it will at some point need to be updated. Knowing when to replace it is important to prevent expensive repairs, expensive utility bills and comfort disruptions.
When it involves keeping cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Herman Allen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling specialists are looking out for your best interests. 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 upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.
Age
In most instances, the Department of Energy says the majority of air conditioners run for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s wise to begin prepping for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for a replacement.
Trustworthiness
How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the toastiest days? Or is it routinely breaking down? When your air conditioner is less trustworthy it’s time to start preparing to get an updated one.
Repair Bills
Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s normal for it to need several 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 includes a SEER rating, which rates how well it expends electricity to produce cooling. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER to meet federal laws. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it wears out.
As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular range, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with greater SEER ratings are often pricier but may pay for themselves over the years through increased energy savings. And purchasing an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for additional rebates.
Comfort
Are you comfortable when your air conditioner is running? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An older air conditioner could have problems keeping your home comfy due to decreased efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling on high constantly, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.
Noise
Your air conditioner should deliver 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 operate at a sound level that’s similar to a regular conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Installing 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 not much. Many 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 settings as needed.
If you use an older air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Upgrading your air conditioner is a wise way 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 bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner runs on R-22 by reviewing the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant type.
If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops a refrigerant leak, fixing the problem will be expensive. That’s since Freon is only available in reduced, recycled amounts.
Newer air conditioners run on Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just add Puron in a Freon air conditioner, because pressure requirements are different.
Our Professionals 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 the years.
We know that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why working with Herman Allen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling for air conditioning installation in Greater Richmond and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our professionals will help you choose the right option 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 work with your budget.
Call us at 804-302-6657 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!