With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free cooling for many years. But, similar to any other machine in your home, it will eventually need replacement. Knowing when to replace it is important to skip pricey repairs, costly electrical bills and comfort disruptions.

When it comes to being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our B & B Heating & Cooling pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner should be replaced. Here are a couple of points you should consider when you’re thinking about replacing your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

On average, 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 halfway point. It’s wise to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a replacement.

Trustworthiness

How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool dependably, even on the toastiest days? Or is it regularly malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less reliable it’s time to begin considering getting an updated one.

Repair Costs

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s expected for it to need several small 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 includes a SEER rating, which rates how well it uses electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER to meet federal guidelines. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it gets older.

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with higher SEER ratings are usually costlier but might 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 added rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfortable when your air conditioner is working? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An old air conditioner might struggle to keep your home comfy due to decreased efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed continuously, 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 comparable to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a wise method to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you might be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for very little. The majority 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 out and about and change temperatures as necessary.

If you have an aging air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Upgrading your air conditioner is a wise method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Type

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being made because of its bad 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 list the refrigerant type.

If your air conditioner is running fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever has a refrigerant leak, fixing the problem will be expensive. That’s because Freon is only available in decreased, 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 Professionals Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

If you’re still trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, 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 are aware that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why working with B & B Heating & Cooling for air conditioning installation in Florissant and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our pros 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 work with your budget.

Get in touch with us at 314-325-7552 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!