With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free service for many years. But, similar to any other machine in your home, it will eventually need to be updated. Knowing when to get a new one is key to prevent pricey repairs, higher energy bills and interrupted comfort.

When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Controlled Comfort HVAC pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner requires replacement. Here are several points you should consider when you’re thinking about replacing your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

In most instances, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s smart to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for a new one.

Trustworthiness

How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool dependably, even on the warmest days? Or is it regularly malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less reliable it’s time to start thinking about getting an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s anticipated for it to need a few little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the expenses of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just get a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which rates how efficiently it consumes electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER to meet federal mandates. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it wears out.

Now, 15–18 SEER is a popular range, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with bigger SEER ratings are usually costlier but may pay for themselves over the years 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 comfortable when your air conditioner is working? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An old air conditioner might struggle to keep your residence comfy as a result of reduced efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed all the time, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adapt 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. The majority of these air conditioners operate at a sound level that’s like a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Getting a smart thermostat is a good approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort necessary 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 not much. Most of these thermostats can learn from your temperature preferences and then develop an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away and alter temperatures as necessary.

If you use an older 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 probably 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 uses R-22 by checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will list the refrigerant kind.

If your air conditioner is running fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever has a refrigerant leak, solving the problem will be pricey. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in reduced, recycled amounts.

Newer air conditioners use 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 within the immediate future, think over 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 up as time passes.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why partnering with Controlled Comfort HVAC for air conditioning installation in Carpentersville and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our pros 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.

Call us at 224-412-8308 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!