With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free cooling for a long time. But, similar to any other appliance in your home, it will ultimately need to be upgraded. Knowing when to install a new one is important to prevent pricey repairs, expensive electrical bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it comes to being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our I-Deal HVAC professionals have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner should be replaced. Here are a couple of points you should consider when you’re thinking about upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

Most of the time, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners last 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 sweating while you’re waiting for a replacement.

Dependability

How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the toastiest days? Or is it regularly malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less dependable it’s time to initiate considering getting an updated one.

Repair Costs

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s expected for it to need several little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the price 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 ranks how well it expends electricity to create cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER per federal laws. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it wears out.

As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, 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 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 constantly dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An older air conditioner could struggle to keep your home comfy because of reduced efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed all the time, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to adapt 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 operate at a sound level that’s like a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a smart way to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort necessary from you. And, depending on the rebates offered by your utility company, you might be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. Many of these thermostats can learn from your temperature preferences and then make an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or out and about and alter temps as necessary.

If you have an outdated 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 Kind

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being manufactured because of its damaging 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 type.

If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops 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, since pressure requirements are different.

Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

If you’re still trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, 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 add up as time passes.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why collaborating with I-Deal HVAC for air conditioning installation in Albuquerque and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our technicians 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 accommodate your budget.

Call us at 505-445-1250 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!