With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free cooling for many years. But, just like any other thing in your home, it will eventually need to be upgraded. Knowing when to replace it is essential to prevent pricey repairs, expensive energy bills and comfort disruptions.

When it comes to being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Premium Air Services LLC pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out 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

On average, 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 smart to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for a replacement.

Dependability

How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the warmest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner is less trustworthy it’s time to start thinking about getting an updated one.

Repair Expenses

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s anticipated for it to need several minor 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 rates how well it consumes electricity to create cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER according to federal rules. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it wears out.

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

Comfort

Are you comfortable when your air conditioner is working? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An aging air conditioner could struggle to keep your residence comfy because of lower efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed constantly, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Installing a smart thermostat is a smart way to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort needed 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 adjust to your temperature preferences and then make an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away and change temperatures as necessary.

If you have an aging air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Upgrading your 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 known as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being produced 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 include the refrigerant kind.

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

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

Our Techs Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

If you’re still trying to decide 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 result in 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really build up over the years.

We are aware that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why working with Premium Air Services LLC for air conditioning installation in Tomball and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our technicians will help you choose 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 accommodate your budget.

Reach us at 713-364-9957 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!