With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free cooling for many years. But, just like any other thing in your home, it will ultimately need replacement. Knowing when to install a new one 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 Verona HVAC professionals have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out 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

On average, the Department of Energy says the majority of air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s wise to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a new one.

Trustworthiness

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

Repair Bills

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

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which rates how proficiently it expends electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER according to federal mandates. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it gets older.

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular range, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with higher SEER ratings are often costlier but might 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 additional rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfy when your air conditioner is working? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An old air conditioner could have trouble keeping your home comfy because of decreased efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of operating at full speed all the time, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a smart way to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort needed 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 very little. Many of these thermostats can learn from your temperature preferences and then create an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away and alter settings as necessary.

If you rely on an aging 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 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 checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant kind.

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 due to the fact Freon is only available in decreased, recycled amounts.

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

Our Professionals Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

If you’re still deciding whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, consider this. The Department of Energy says doing air conditioning replacement for a 10-year-old model can provide 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really build up as time goes by.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why collaborating with Verona HVAC for air conditioning installation in Santa Clarita and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our pros will help you choose 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 fit your budget.

Call us at 818-306-3387 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!