With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free cooling for many years. But, like any other machine in your home, it will ultimately need to be upgraded. Knowing when to get a new one is key to avoid pricey repairs, higher energy bills and interrupted comfort.

When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our LTS Plumbing & Heating Inc. pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. Here are a couple of 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 last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s wise to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for installation.

Reliability

How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool dependably, even on the warmest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less reliable it’s time to start preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s normal for it to need several minor repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the price of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just get a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which rates 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 per federal mandates. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient 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 typically costlier but may pay for themselves over time 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 often dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An older air conditioner might struggle to keep your home comfy as a result of reduced efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of operating at full speed all the time, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should provide 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 like a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a good way to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort required from you. And, depending on the rebates offered by your utility company, you may be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for a greatly reduced price. Most of these thermostats can adjust to 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 change settings 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 surefire method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Style

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably runs on Freon®. Also referred to as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being manufactured because of its bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner runs on R-22 by looking at the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant kind.

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

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

Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

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

We know that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why working with LTS Plumbing & Heating Inc. for air conditioning installation in Shamokin and Sunbury and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our techs will help you find the right option for your needs and then go over 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 570-648-0748 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!