With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free cooling for years. But, just like any other appliance in your house, it will ultimately need to be replaced. Knowing when to install a new one is key to avoid pricey repairs, expensive utility bills and interrupted comfort.

When it comes to being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Bell Air Conditioning Inc professionals 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

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 smart to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for installation.

Reliability

How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the toastiest days? Or is it regularly malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less reliable it’s time to begin thinking about getting an updated one.

Repair Expenses

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s expected for it to need a handful of 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 includes a SEER rating, which measures how well it uses electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER to meet federal guidelines. 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 bigger 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 comfortable when your air conditioner is on? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An older air conditioner may struggle to keep your house comfy due to lower efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running 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 a concern, ask us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners operate at a sound level that’s comparable to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a good way to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you might be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for very little. Most 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 temps as necessary.

If you rely on an aging air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Upgrading your air conditioner is a wise method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Style

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 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 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 expensive. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in reduced, recycled amounts.

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

Our Professionals Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

If you’re still debating 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 lead to 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really accumulate as time passes.

We know that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why working with Bell Air Conditioning Inc for air conditioning installation in Temple/Belton  and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our techs will help you select the right solution for your needs and then discuss 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 254-307-9572 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!