With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free service for a long time. But, just like any other thing in your residence, it will at some point need replacement. Knowing when to replace it is important to avoid pricey repairs, expensive electrical bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it comes to being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Patterson & Stirling professionals 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 upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

Most of the time, the Department of Energy says the majority of air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s smart 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 dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool dependably, even on the toastiest days? Or is it regularly malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less trustworthy it’s time to begin thinking about getting an updated one.

Repair Expenses

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s normal for it to need a handful of minor 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 has a SEER rating, which rates how proficiently it uses electricity to create cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER per federal mandates. 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 typically costlier but could pay for themselves over time through increased 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 cool when your air conditioner is working? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An aging air conditioner may have problems keeping your house comfy as a result of decreased efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed constantly, 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, check with 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

Installing a smart thermostat is a smart method to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort required 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 very little. Most 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 out and about and change settings as necessary.

If you use an outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it.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

Refrigerant Type

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also known as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being produced because of its damaging effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner runs on R-22 by looking at 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 experiences a refrigerant leak, fixing 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 add Puron in a Freon air conditioner, as pressure requirements are different.

Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

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

We realize that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why working with Patterson & Stirling for air conditioning installation in Erie and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our techs will help you find the right solution 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 accommodate your budget.

Call us at 814-308-0416 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!