With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free cooling for years. But, similar to any other thing in your home, it will ultimately need to be updated. Knowing when to get a new one is key to skip pricey repairs, expensive utility bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it includes being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Herman Allen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner should be replaced. Here are a few 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 the majority of air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s recommended to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a replacement.

Reliability

How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the toastiest days? Or is it regularly malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less reliable it’s time to begin thinking about getting an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s expected for it to need a few little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the cost of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just install a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which rates how well 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 guidelines. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it ages.

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 more energy savings. And installing an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for additional rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfy when your air conditioner is on? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An older air conditioner might have problems keeping your house comfy because of lower efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed continuously, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is bothering you, check with us about upgrading to a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority 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 not much effort required 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. 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 temps as necessary.

If you have an older air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Getting 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 called 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 has R-22 by reviewing the sticker on the outside unit, which will include the refrigerant style.

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

If you’re still deciding whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner within the immediate future, consider 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 as time goes by.

We are aware that air conditioner cost is your top 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 find 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.

Reach us at 804-302-6657 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!