With adequate maintenance, your air conditioner will provide worry-free performance for a long time. But, just like any other thing in your house, it will at some point need replacement. Knowing when to replace it is important to prevent costly repairs, expensive energy bills and interrupted comfort.
When it involves staying cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Mayeuxs AC & Heating pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner needs to 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 many air conditioners run for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s wise to start planning for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for installation.
Trustworthiness
How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the hottest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less dependable it’s time to start preparing to get an upgraded one.
Repair Costs
Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s normal for it to need a handful of little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the expenses of a new air conditioner, it’s wiser to just replace it.
Energy Efficiency
Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which ranks how proficiently it consumes electricity to create chilled 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 less efficient as it wears out.
Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with greater SEER ratings are often more expensive but might 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 added rebates.
Comfort
Are you comfy when your air conditioner is on? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An aging air conditioner could struggle to keep your residence comfy as a result of lower efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling 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 annoying you, check with us about upgrading to a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners cool at a sound level that’s like an everyday conversation.
Smart Thermostat Compatibility
Installing a smart thermostat is a good way to keep up with energy efficiency, with not much effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates offered by your utility company, you might be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for a greatly reduced price. The majority 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 gone and adjust temps as necessary.
If you rely on an aging air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Installing a new air conditioner is a smart approach to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.
Refrigerant Style
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably runs on Freon®. Also referred to as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being manufactured as a result of its negative effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner has R-22 by looking at the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant style.
If your air conditioner is running fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever has a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be costly. That’s because Freon is only available in reduced, recycled amounts.
Newer air conditioners have Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just use Puron in a Freon air conditioner, since pressure requirements are different.
Our Pros Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free
If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, consider 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 build as time goes by.
We realize that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why partnering with Mayeuxs AC & Heating for air conditioning installation in Norco and St. Charles Parish and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our professionals 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 fit your budget.
Call us at (985) 764-2426 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!