What's the Right Time to Replace My 15-Year-Old Air Conditioner?

With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free performance for a long time. But, similar to any other appliance in your residence, it will at some point need to be updated. Knowing when to replace it is essential to skip pricey repairs, costly utility bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it comes to being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Aggressive Mechanical specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner should be replaced. Here are a few points you should consider when you’re thinking about updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

Typically, the Department of Energy says the majority of air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s smart to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a new one.

Trustworthiness

How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool dependably, even on the toastiest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less dependable 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 a handful of little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the cost of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just replace it.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which ranks how well it expends electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER to meet federal rules. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it gets older.

As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular ranking, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with bigger SEER ratings are often costlier but may pay for themselves over their life span through increased energy savings. And purchasing 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 working? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An older air conditioner could have problems keeping your home comfy due to decreased efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of operating at full speed constantly, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, check with us about installing a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners cool at a sound level that’s similar to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Installing a smart thermostat is a smart method to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort necessary from you. And, depending on the rebates available from your utility company, you could be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for a greatly reduced price. Many of these thermostats can learn from your temperature preferences and then create an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away and change settings as necessary.

If you use an aging 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 probably runs on Freon®. Also known as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being manufactured because of its damaging 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 include the refrigerant style.

If your air conditioner is working fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever experiences 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 use Puron in a Freon air conditioner, since pressure requirements are different.

Our Techs Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, 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 the years.

We know that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why partnering with Aggressive Mechanical for air conditioning installation in Neptune City and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our professionals will help you choose the right option 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 work with your budget.

Call us at 732-806-5536 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!