With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free performance for many years. But, similar to any other appliance in your home, it will ultimately need to be updated. Knowing when to replace it is key to skip pricey repairs, higher electrical bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Solar Air Inc. professionals have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner requires replacement. Here are several points you should consider when you’re thinking about updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

In most instances, the Department of Energy says many air conditioners run for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s wise to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for installation.

Trustworthiness

How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the warmest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less trustworthy it’s time to begin thinking about getting an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s anticipated for it to need a few small repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the expenses of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just replace it.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which rates how efficiently it uses electricity to create 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.

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 may pay for themselves over their life span 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 added rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfy when your air conditioner is on? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An old air conditioner may have problems keeping your residence comfy because of decreased efficiency. A modern 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 work at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is bothering you, call us about upgrading to a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners cool at a sound level that’s like a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Installing a smart thermostat is a wise method to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort needed 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. 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 out and about and alter temperatures as necessary.

If you rely on 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 Kind

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

If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops a refrigerant leak, fixing the problem will be expensive. That’s because Freon is only available in limited, recycled amounts.

Newer air conditioners have Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just use Puron in a Freon air conditioner, since pressure requirements are different.

Our Pros Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner within the immediate future, 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 accumulate as time passes.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why working with Solar Air Inc. for air conditioning installation in Fort Lauderdale and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our technicians will help you select 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 accommodate your budget.

Reach us at 954-320-7398 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!