With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free cooling for many years. But, just like any other machine in your residence, it will at some point need to be upgraded. Knowing when to install a new one is important to skip pricey repairs, expensive energy bills and comfort disruptions.

When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Speedy Air Conditioning specialists 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

Typically, the Department of Energy says many air conditioners run for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s recommended to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for a new one.

Trustworthiness

How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the warmest days? Or is it regularly malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less trustworthy it’s time to start considering getting an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s normal for it to need a few minor repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the expenses 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 expends electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER to meet federal mandates. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it ages.

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 the years 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 additional rebates.

Comfort

Are you cool when your air conditioner is working? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An old air conditioner may have problems keeping your home comfy because of decreased 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 continuously, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should give cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, check with us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. Many of these air conditioners run at a sound level that’s like a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a smart method to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort necessary 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 very little. Many of these thermostats can pick up on 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 alter settings as necessary.

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

Refrigerant Kind

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially 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 runs on R-22 by looking at the sticker on the outside unit, which will include the refrigerant type.

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

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

Our Professionals 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 over 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 over the years.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why collaborating with Speedy Air Conditioning for air conditioning installation in Naples and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our techs will help you select the right option 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 work with your budget.

Call us at 239-244-3439 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!