With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free performance for a long time. But, similar to any other thing in your house, it will at some point need to be replaced. Knowing when to install a new one is key to skip pricey repairs, expensive energy bills and comfort disruptions.

When it includes being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Cytech Heating & Cooling L.C. pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. Here are a couple of 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 work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s recommended to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for installation.

Dependability

How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the warmest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less reliable it’s time to initiate preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Costs

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s expected for it to need a handful of little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the cost of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just replace it.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which ranks how well it consumes 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 loses efficiency 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 higher SEER ratings are often costlier but could pay for themselves over the years through more energy savings. And purchasing 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 keep cool? An aging air conditioner could have problems keeping your house comfy due to 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 constantly, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Getting a smart thermostat is a good approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort necessary from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you might 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 develop an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or gone and change settings as necessary.

If you use an aging air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Installing a new air conditioner is a smart 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 made because of its damaging 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 show the refrigerant style.

If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever has a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be costly. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in limited, 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 Pros Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

If you’re still debating 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 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 Cytech Heating & Cooling L.C. for air conditioning installation in Rio Grande Valley and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our technicians will help you choose the right option 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 work with your budget.

Call us at 956-630-3522 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!