With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free performance for a long time. But, like any other thing in your residence, it will at some point need to be upgraded. Knowing when to replace it is essential to skip pricey repairs, costly utility bills and comfort disruptions.

When it comes to being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Farnell Mechanical, Inc. specialists 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

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 center point. It’s recommended to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a new one.

Trustworthiness

How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the warmest days? Or is it regularly malfunctioning? When your air conditioner is less dependable it’s time to initiate considering getting an updated one.

Repair Expenses

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s normal for it to need a handful of minor repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the expenses of a new air conditioner, it’s wiser to just install a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which ranks 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 according to federal rules. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it gets older.

As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular ranking, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with greater SEER ratings are often costlier but may pay for themselves over their life span 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 extra rebates.

Comfort

Are you cool when your air conditioner is working? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An older air conditioner may struggle to keep your house comfy as a result of lower 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 continuously, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Installing a smart thermostat is a good method to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates offered by your utility company, you might be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. Many 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 away and change temps as necessary.

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

Refrigerant Type

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also known as 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 uses R-22 by checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant type.

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

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

Our Techs Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, consider 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 over the years.

We know that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why working with Farnell Mechanical, Inc. for air conditioning installation in Auburn and Opelika and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our technicians will help you choose 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 334-524-2458 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!