With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free cooling for many years. But, just like any other thing in your house, it will ultimately need to be replaced. Knowing when to get a new one is key to avoid pricey repairs, costly energy bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it involves being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Luikart Heating & Cooling pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out when your air conditioner requires replacement. Here are several 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 most air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s recommended to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for a new one.

Trustworthiness

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

Repair Expenses

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

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which ranks how efficiently it uses electricity to create cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER according to federal laws. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it ages.

Today, 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 might pay for themselves over time 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 extra rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfy when your air conditioner is working? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An older air conditioner could have problems keeping your home comfy because of lower 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 all the time, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, call us about upgrading to a variable-speed air conditioner. Most 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 not much effort required from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you could be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. 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 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 damaging effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner has R-22 by looking at the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant type.

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 costly. That’s since Freon is only available in reduced, recycled amounts.

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

Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

If you’re still trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner within the immediate future, think about 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 are aware that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why working with Luikart Heating & Cooling for air conditioning installation in Newark and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our techs will help you choose 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 740-344-5497 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!