With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free performance for a long time. But, just like any other thing in your residence, it will eventually need to be replaced. Knowing when to get a new one is important to avoid pricey repairs, expensive electrical bills and interrupted comfort.

When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Northglenn Heating & Air Conditioning specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding 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

In most instances, 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 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 a new one.

Trustworthiness

How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the warmest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less dependable it’s time to begin preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s normal for it to need a handful of little 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 has a SEER rating, which rates how efficiently it uses electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER per federal guidelines. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient 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 bigger SEER ratings are often costlier but might pay for themselves over their life span through more energy savings. And getting an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for extra rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfy when your air conditioner is running? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An older air conditioner might struggle to keep your house comfy because of lower efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed 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, call us about installing a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners run at a sound level that’s similar to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a wise 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 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 temperatures as necessary.

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

Refrigerant Type

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially 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 uses R-22 by looking at 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, repairing the problem will be costly. That’s since Freon is only available in limited, 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 trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, consider 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 accumulate over time.

We know that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why working with Northglenn Heating & Air Conditioning for air conditioning installation in Northglenn and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our professionals will help you select 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 fit your budget.

Reach us at 303-452-4146 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!