With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free cooling for a long time. But, like any other appliance in your house, it will eventually need to be updated. Knowing when to install a new one is important to prevent pricey repairs, costly utility bills and comfort disruptions.

When it comes to being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Allstar Heating & Air Conditioning professionals have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out when your air conditioner should be replaced. Here are a few points you should consider when you’re thinking about updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

Typically, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s smart to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for installation.

Trustworthiness

How dependable 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 dependable it’s time to start preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Costs

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s expected for it to need a handful of little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the cost of a new air conditioner, it’s smarter to just install a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which rates how well it consumes electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER to meet federal rules. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it wears out.

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular range, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with higher SEER ratings are often 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 extra rebates.

Comfort

Are you cool when your air conditioner is on? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An old air conditioner may struggle to keep your home comfy because of decreased efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed constantly, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should give cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is bothering you, ask us about getting 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

Installing a smart thermostat is a smart approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort necessary from you. And, depending on the rebates available from your utility company, you could be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. 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 out and about and change temps as necessary.

If you have an older 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 produced because of its bad 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 include 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 decreased, 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 Professionals Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

If you’re still deciding 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 result in 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really add up as time goes by.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why partnering with Allstar Heating & Air Conditioning for air conditioning installation in Buellton and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our technicians will help you select the right model 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 fit your budget.

Get in touch with us at 805-242-9638 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!