With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free service for years. But, just like any other machine in your residence, it will eventually need replacement. Knowing when to replace it is essential to skip pricey repairs, costly utility bills and interrupted comfort.

When it involves 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 figuring out when your air conditioner should be replaced. Here are a couple of points you should consider when you’re thinking about upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

On average, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s smart to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for installation.

Reliability

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

Repair Expenses

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s anticipated 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 wiser to just replace it.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which ranks how proficiently it expends electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER per federal guidelines. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it gets older.

Now, 15–18 SEER is a popular range, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with bigger SEER ratings are usually costlier but may pay for themselves over their life span 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 comfy when your air conditioner is running? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An old air conditioner may have problems keeping your residence comfy as a result of decreased efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed continuously, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is bothering you, ask us about installing a variable-speed air conditioner. Many of these air conditioners cool at a sound level that’s comparable to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a good way to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort required 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. Most of these thermostats can pick up on your temperature preferences and then make an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or gone and adjust temperatures as necessary.

If you have an aging 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 Style

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being produced because of its bad 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 type.

If your air conditioner is working fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops a refrigerant leak, fixing the problem will be costly. That’s because Freon is only available in limited, recycled amounts.

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

Our Techs Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

If you’re still deciding whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, 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 over the years.

We are aware that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why working with Smyth Air Conditioning for air conditioning installation in Lake Worth and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our pros will help you find the right solution 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 accommodate your budget.

Call us at 561-533-6066 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!