With ample service, your air conditioner will offer worry-free cooling for a long time. But, like any other thing in your home, it will at some point need to be replaced. Knowing when to replace it is important to prevent costly repairs, costly electrical bills and interruptions to your comfort.
When it comes to keeping cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our A2Z Air Inc professionals have your best interests at the forefront. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner should be replaced. Here are a few things you should consider when you’re thinking about updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.
Age
In most instances, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. 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.
Reliability
How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the hottest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner is less trustworthy it’s time to get started considering getting an updated one.
Repair Expenses
Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s anticipated for it to need a few minor 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 includes a SEER rating, which ranks how efficiently it consumes electricity to create chilled 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 becomes inefficient as it wears out.
Now, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with greater SEER ratings are usually costlier but could pay for themselves over their life span 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 additional rebates.
Comfort
Are you cool when your air conditioner is running? Or are you continuously switching the temperature to remain cool? An older air conditioner could struggle to keep your home comfortable as a result of reduced 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 blast all the time, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.
Noise
Your air conditioner should give cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is a concern, ask us about upgrading to a variable-speed air conditioner. Many of these air conditioners operate at a sound level that’s comparable to an everyday conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Adding a smart thermostat is a wise method to keep up with energy efficiency, with minimal effort necessary from you. And, depending on the rebates available by your utility company, you might be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. Many 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 out and about and alter temps accordingly.
If you have an outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Upgrading your 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 known as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being made due to 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 kind.
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 expensive. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in decreased, recycled amounts.
Newer air conditioners run on Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just put Puron in a Freon air conditioner, since pressure requirements are different.
Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy
If you’re still trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, 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 as time passes.
We realize that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why partnering with A2Z Air Inc for air conditioning installation in Boynton Beach and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our technicians will help you select 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.
Reach us at 561-270-6228 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!