With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free service for many years. But, like any other machine in your house, it will ultimately need to be updated. Knowing when to install a new one is key to prevent pricey repairs, costly energy bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it involves being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Childress Heating & AC specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner should be replaced. Here are several points you should consider when you’re thinking about replacing your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

On average, 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 recommended to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for installation.

Dependability

How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the warmest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less trustworthy it’s time to initiate considering getting an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s anticipated for it to need several small repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the expenses of a new air conditioner, it’s smarter to just replace it.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which ranks how efficiently it expends electricity to create cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER to meet federal laws. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it gets older.

Now, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with higher SEER ratings are usually costlier but might pay for themselves over the years through more energy savings. And getting an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for extra rebates.

Comfort

Are you cool when your air conditioner is working? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An old air conditioner may have trouble keeping your residence comfy because of reduced efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed all the time, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a smart method to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort necessary 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. Most 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 change settings as necessary.

If you have an outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Installing a new air conditioner is a wise method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Style

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also referred to as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being manufactured 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 style.

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 pricey. 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 Pros Make Air Conditioning Installation Hassle-Free

If you’re still deciding 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 as time goes by.

We are aware that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why collaborating with Childress Heating & AC for air conditioning installation in Fredericksburg and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our techs will help you find the right model 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.

Call us at 540-675-4306 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!