With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free service for years. But, similar to any other machine in your home, it will ultimately need replacement. Knowing when to replace it is essential to prevent pricey repairs, expensive energy bills and comfort disruptions.

When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Redhawk Heating & Air Conditioning pros 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 upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

In most instances, the Department of Energy says many air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s recommended to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a replacement.

Dependability

How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the warmest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less dependable it’s time to initiate preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Costs

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

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which rates how efficiently it consumes electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER per federal mandates. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it ages.

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 may pay for themselves over the years through increased energy savings. And purchasing an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for additional rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfortable when your air conditioner is running? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An older air conditioner may have trouble keeping your house comfy as a result of reduced efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed all the time, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a good way to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort required from you. And, depending on the rebates provided 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 pick up on your temperature preferences and then make an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or gone and change temps as necessary.

If you rely on an outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Getting a new air conditioner is a smart method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Style

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also referred to as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being manufactured because of its negative 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 list the refrigerant type.

If your air conditioner is running fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be pricey. That’s because Freon is only available in decreased, 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 Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Hassle-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 result in 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really accumulate over the years.

We know that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why working with Redhawk Heating & Air Conditioning for air conditioning installation in Odessa and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our techs will help you choose 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 accommodate your budget.

Reach us at 432-237-0168 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!