With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free cooling for many years. But, just like any other machine in your house, it will ultimately need to be upgraded. Knowing when to get a new one is essential to prevent pricey repairs, higher energy bills and interrupted comfort.

When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Dial One Mears Air Conditioning & Heating Inc pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. Here are several points you should consider when you’re thinking about replacing your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

On average, the Department of Energy says many air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s recommended to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for a replacement.

Dependability

How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the toastiest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less reliable it’s time to begin preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Costs

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s normal for it to need a handful of small repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the price of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just replace it.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which measures how well it consumes electricity to create cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER per federal rules. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it ages.

As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular ranking, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with bigger SEER ratings are usually costlier but might pay for themselves over the years through more energy savings. And purchasing 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 on? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An old air conditioner may struggle to keep your house comfy because of lower efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed constantly, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should give cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, ask us about installing a variable-speed air conditioner. Most of these air conditioners cool at a sound level that’s similar to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Installing a smart thermostat is a good approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort required from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you may be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for very little. Many of these thermostats can adjust to your temperature preferences and then make an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or gone and alter temps as necessary.

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

Refrigerant Kind

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably runs on Freon®. Also known as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being manufactured because of its bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner has R-22 by reviewing the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant kind.

If your air conditioner is working fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever has a refrigerant leak, solving the problem will be expensive. 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 add Puron in a Freon air conditioner, because pressure requirements are different.

Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, think over this. The Department of Energy says doing air conditioning replacement for a 10-year-old model can provide 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really add up as time passes.

We know that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why working with Dial One Mears Air Conditioning & Heating Inc for air conditioning installation in Phoenix and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our pros will help you select the right option 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 602-789-3315 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!