With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free cooling for years. But, like any other machine in your house, it will at some point need replacement. Knowing when to get a new one is essential to skip pricey repairs, higher utility bills and comfort disruptions.

When it involves being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Fleming Heating & Air Conditioning Inc professionals have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner should be replaced. Here are several points you should consider when you’re thinking about replacing your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

Most of the time, the Department of Energy says the majority of air conditioners last 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 goes out so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for installation.

Dependability

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

Repair Costs

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s normal for it to need several little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the price of a new air conditioner, it’s smarter to just replace it.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which ranks how proficiently it expends electricity to create cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER to meet federal laws. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it wears out.

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular range, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with bigger SEER ratings are often costlier but might pay for themselves over time 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 comfortable when your air conditioner is working? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An older air conditioner might struggle to keep your house comfy due to lower efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed constantly, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Getting a smart thermostat is a good method to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates available from 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 create an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away and alter temps as necessary.

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

Refrigerant Kind

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably 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 uses R-22 by reviewing the sticker on the outside unit, which will include the refrigerant kind.

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

Newer air conditioners have 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 trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, think about 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 accumulate as time passes.

We know that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why partnering with Fleming Heating & Air Conditioning Inc for air conditioning installation in South Beloit and Belvidere and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our professionals will help you select the right model 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 work with your budget.

Call us at 877-389-2465 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!