With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free cooling for a long time. But, like any other thing in your house, it will at some point need to be updated. Knowing when to replace it is essential to avoid pricey repairs, higher energy bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it includes being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Van Haaften Plumbing & Heating professionals 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 replacing your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

Most of the time, the Department of Energy says many air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s wise to start preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for a new one.

Reliability

How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the warmest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less dependable it’s time to begin thinking about getting an updated one.

Repair Expenses

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s expected for it to need a few small repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the expenses of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just replace it.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which measures how efficiently it uses electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER according to federal guidelines. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it gets older.

As of 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 usually costlier but could pay for themselves over their life span through more energy savings. And installing an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for added rebates.

Comfort

Are you cool when your air conditioner is running? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An older air conditioner could struggle to keep your home comfy due to decreased efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed all the time, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should deliver cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is bothering you, call 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

Installing a smart thermostat is a smart way to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates available from your utility company, you may be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for a greatly reduced price. Many 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 away and adjust temperatures as necessary.

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

Refrigerant Type

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially runs on Freon®. Also called 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 has R-22 by checking 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, fixing the problem will be pricey. 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 Easy

If you’re still trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, consider 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 build up as time passes.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why collaborating with Van Haaften Plumbing & Heating for air conditioning installation in Pella and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our techs will help you find the right solution for your needs and then review 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.

Reach us at 641-628-3621 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!