With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free cooling for many years. But, similar to any other machine in your residence, it will ultimately need to be updated. Knowing when to replace it is important to prevent pricey repairs, costly electrical bills and interrupted comfort.

When it comes to being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Smyth Air Conditioning specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner requires replacement. Here are several points 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 run for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s recommended to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for installation.

Dependability

How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the toastiest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less dependable it’s time to begin preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s expected 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 replace it.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner includes 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 rules. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it gets older.

As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with bigger SEER ratings are usually costlier but could pay for themselves over the years 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 additional rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfortable when your air conditioner is running? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An aging air conditioner might struggle to keep your house comfy as a result of lower efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of operating at full speed constantly, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should give cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is bothering you, check with us about upgrading to a variable-speed air conditioner. Most of these air conditioners run at a sound level that’s similar to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a wise way to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates available from your utility company, you may be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. Many 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 gone and adjust settings as necessary.

If you rely on an aging air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Upgrading your air conditioner is a surefire 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 uses R-22 by checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will list the refrigerant type.

If your air conditioner is running fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever has a refrigerant leak, solving the problem will be expensive. That’s because Freon is only available in decreased, recycled amounts.

Newer air conditioners run on Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just put Puron in a Freon air conditioner, since pressure requirements are different.

Our Professionals Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

If you’re still trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, think about 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 number one question. That’s why working with Smyth Air Conditioning for air conditioning installation in Lake Worth and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our professionals will help you find the right solution for your needs and then discuss all the possibilities. These include special offers to help you save more and financing for qualified customers to make your new air conditioner accommodate your budget.

Get in touch with us at 561-533-6066 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!