With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free cooling for many years. But, just like any other thing in your house, it will at some point need to be updated. Knowing when to replace it is important to avoid pricey repairs, costly electrical bills and interrupted comfort.

When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Titan Heating & Air Conditioning professionals have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner needs to 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 many air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s recommended to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it goes out 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 hottest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner is less dependable it’s time to initiate preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Costs

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s normal for it to need several minor repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the cost of a new air conditioner, it’s smarter to just install a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which measures how well it expends electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER to meet federal guidelines. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it gets older.

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with greater SEER ratings are typically costlier but may pay for themselves over the years through increased energy savings. And purchasing an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for added rebates.

Comfort

Are you cool when your air conditioner is on? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An aging air conditioner could struggle to keep your home comfy due to lower efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed all the time, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Getting a smart thermostat is a good way to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort necessary from you. And, depending on the rebates available from your utility company, you could be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for a greatly reduced price. Many of these thermostats can learn from 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 aging 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 Type

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 has R-22 by looking at the sticker on the outside unit, which will list the refrigerant type.

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

Newer air conditioners run on Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just add Puron in a Freon air conditioner, since 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, consider 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 build up over the years.

We are aware that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why working with Titan Heating & Air Conditioning for air conditioning installation in Central Point and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our technicians will help you choose the right solution for your needs and then review 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 541-286-6617 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!