With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free service for a long time. But, like any other thing in your home, it will ultimately need to be replaced. Knowing when to get a new one is key to skip pricey repairs, costly energy bills and comfort disruptions.

When it involves being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Smyth Air Conditioning pros 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 couple of points you should consider when you’re thinking about replacing your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

Most of the time, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners work 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 a replacement.

Trustworthiness

How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool dependably, even on the toastiest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less dependable it’s time to begin preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Bills

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 smarter to just install a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which rates how efficiently it expends electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER according to federal laws. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it wears out.

As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular ranking, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with higher SEER ratings are usually costlier but may pay for themselves over time 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 extra rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfortable when your air conditioner is working? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An old air conditioner might struggle to keep your home comfy as a result of lower efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of operating at full speed constantly, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to adapt 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. Many of these air conditioners run at a sound level that’s similar to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Installing a smart thermostat is a wise way to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort necessary 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 very little. The majority of these thermostats can pick up on your temperature preferences and then develop an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or gone and change temps as necessary.

If you rely on an older air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Installing a new air conditioner is a smart method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Type

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely 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 uses R-22 by looking at the sticker on the outside unit, which will list the refrigerant kind.

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 decreased, recycled amounts.

Newer air conditioners use Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just add Puron in a Freon air conditioner, because pressure requirements are different.

Our Pros Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

If you’re still trying to decide 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 provide 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really add up over time.

We know that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why partnering with Smyth Air Conditioning for air conditioning installation in Lake Worth and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our technicians will help you select the right model 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 561-533-6066 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!