With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free performance for years. But, similar to any other thing in your home, it will ultimately need replacement. Knowing when to replace it is key to prevent pricey repairs, expensive energy bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it includes being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Cytech Heating & Cooling L.C. professionals have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding 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

Typically, the Department of Energy says the majority of air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s recommended 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 is less trustworthy it’s time to start preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Expenses

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 cost of a new air conditioner, it’s wiser to just replace it.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which ranks how well it uses electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER to meet federal mandates. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it gets older.

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular ranking, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with higher SEER ratings are often costlier but could pay for themselves over time through increased energy savings. And getting 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 running? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An old air conditioner might have problems keeping your home comfy as a result of decreased efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed all the time, these air conditioners operate 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 getting a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners cool at a sound level that’s like a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Getting a smart thermostat is a wise way to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort necessary from you. And, depending on the rebates offered by your utility company, you may be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for very little. The majority of these thermostats can pick up on your temperature preferences and then develop an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or out and about and change temperatures as necessary.

If you use an older 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 potentially runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being produced because of its bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner uses R-22 by looking at the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant type.

If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever experiences a refrigerant leak, solving the problem will be costly. 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 put Puron in a Freon air conditioner, since pressure requirements are different.

Our Pros Make Air Conditioning Installation Hassle-Free

If you’re still deciding whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, 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 as time passes.

We know that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why working with Cytech Heating & Cooling L.C. for air conditioning installation in McAllen and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our pros will help you find the right solution 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 fit your budget.

Get in touch with us at 956-553-3265 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!