With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free cooling for many years. But, like any other appliance in your house, it will eventually need to be updated. Knowing when to replace it is key to skip pricey repairs, costly utility bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it comes to being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Stanford Heating & Cooling professionals 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 upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

Most of the time, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners last 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 fails so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a replacement.

Trustworthiness

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

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s normal for it to need several 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 replace it.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has 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 at least 13 SEER to meet federal guidelines. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it ages.

As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular range, 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 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 on? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An old air conditioner might struggle to keep your residence comfy because of decreased efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed constantly, 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 bothering you, call us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners operate at a sound level that’s comparable to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Getting a smart thermostat is a wise approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates offered by your utility company, you could be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. 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 away and adjust temperatures as necessary.

If you have an outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Getting a new air conditioner is a wise method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Style

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 negative effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner has R-22 by checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will include the refrigerant style.

If your air conditioner is working fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever experiences 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 use Puron in a Freon air conditioner, as pressure requirements are different.

Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Hassle-Free

If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, think about 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 accumulate over the years.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why collaborating with Stanford Heating & Cooling for air conditioning installation in Bloomfield and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our techs will help you find the right option for your needs and then review 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 812-825-8695 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!