With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free performance for years. But, just like any other appliance in your house, it will at some point need to be replaced. Knowing when to replace it is essential to skip pricey repairs, higher utility bills and comfort disruptions.

When it involves being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Moyer Total Indoor Comfort pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner requires replacement. Here are several points you should consider when you’re thinking about upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

In most instances, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners run for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s wise to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for installation.

Dependability

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

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s normal for it to need a handful of little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the expenses of a new air conditioner, it’s smarter to just replace it.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which measures how efficiently it expends electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER to meet federal laws. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it ages.

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 usually costlier but may pay for themselves over time through improved 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 on? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An aging air conditioner might struggle to keep your residence comfy due to reduced efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed constantly, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should deliver cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, call us about upgrading to a variable-speed air conditioner. Many of these air conditioners run at a sound level that’s similar to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Installing a smart thermostat is a good way 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 not much. The majority of these thermostats can adjust to 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 adjust settings as necessary.

If you have 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 Type

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also referred to as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being made because of its bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner uses R-22 by reviewing the sticker on the outside unit, which will list the refrigerant style.

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

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

Our Professionals Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

If you’re still trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner within the immediate future, think about 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 accumulate over time.

We are aware that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why partnering with Moyer Total Indoor Comfort for air conditioning installation in Kutztown and Breinigsville and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our professionals will help you choose the right option 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.

Call us at 484-646-3363 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!