With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free performance for many years. But, similar to any other appliance in your home, it will at some point need to be updated. Knowing when to replace it is important to avoid pricey repairs, expensive utility bills and comfort disruptions.

When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Brookwood Inc specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner should be replaced. Here are a few 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 work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s smart to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a replacement.

Dependability

How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the hottest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner is less trustworthy it’s time to start considering getting an updated one.

Repair Costs

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s expected for it to need a few 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 get a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which ranks how well it uses 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 becomes less efficient as it gets older.

Now, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with higher SEER ratings are usually costlier but could pay for themselves over their life span through increased energy savings. And installing an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for additional rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfy when your air conditioner is running? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An older air conditioner may have problems keeping your house comfy due to decreased efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of operating 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, check with us about upgrading to a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners operate at a sound level that’s similar to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Getting a smart thermostat is a wise way to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you might be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for very little. Most of these thermostats can adjust to your temperature preferences and then develop an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away 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 probably runs on Freon®. Also called 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 has R-22 by checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will include the refrigerant kind.

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

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

Our Professionals Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

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 lead to 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really add up as time goes by.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why working with Brookwood Inc for air conditioning installation in Newton and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our techs will help you find the right solution 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.

Call us at 641-316-9803 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!