With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free performance for many years. But, like any other appliance in your house, it will ultimately need replacement. Knowing when to replace it is key to prevent pricey repairs, costly energy bills and interrupted comfort.

When it involves being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Air Alliance Team professionals have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into determining 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

On average, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s recommended to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for installation.

Reliability

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

Repair Bills

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 install a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which measures how efficiently it consumes electricity to create 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 inefficient as it gets older.

As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular range, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with greater SEER ratings are often costlier but could pay for themselves over the years through improved 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 continuously dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An old air conditioner may struggle to keep your home 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 operating at full speed all the time, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a good way to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort required 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 adjust to your temperature preferences and then develop an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or gone and adjust temperatures as necessary.

If you use an outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Installing 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 manufactured because of its bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner runs on R-22 by checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will include the refrigerant kind.

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

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

Our Techs Make Air Conditioning Installation Hassle-Free

If you’re still deciding 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 result in 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really build up over time.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why partnering with Air Alliance Team for air conditioning installation in Ballwin and St. Charles and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our techs will help you find the right model 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.

Reach us at 636-206-4250 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!