With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free cooling for many years. But, just like any other thing in your home, it will at some point need to be updated. Knowing when to get a new one is key to avoid pricey repairs, expensive electrical bills and interrupted comfort.

When it involves being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Northern Comfort Inc specialists 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 couple of 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 the majority of 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.

Trustworthiness

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

Repair Costs

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 cost of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just install a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which measures how proficiently it expends electricity to make 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 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 higher SEER ratings are typically costlier but could pay for themselves over their life span through improved energy savings. And getting 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 constantly dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An old air conditioner might have trouble keeping your house comfy as a result 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 continuously, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should deliver cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, check with us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. Most of these air conditioners cool at a sound level that’s like a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a wise way to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little 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 very little. 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 have an aging air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Getting a new air conditioner is a surefire method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Style

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably runs on Freon®. Also called 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 runs on R-22 by checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will include the refrigerant type.

If your air conditioner is working fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever has a refrigerant leak, repairing 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 put Puron in a Freon air conditioner, since pressure requirements are different.

Our Techs Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

If you’re still deciding whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner within the immediate future, consider 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 accumulate over the years.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why working with Northern Comfort Inc for air conditioning installation in Mankato area and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our professionals will help you select the right solution for your needs and then discuss 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 507-387-6596 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!