With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free performance for many years. But, just like any other thing in your house, it will eventually need to be replaced. Knowing when to replace it is key to avoid pricey repairs, costly energy bills and interrupted comfort.

When it involves being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Bell Mechanical Services specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. Here are a few points you should consider when you’re thinking about updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

On average, the Department of Energy says many air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s smart to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for a replacement.

Dependability

How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the toastiest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less dependable it’s time to initiate preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s expected for it to need a handful of small repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the price of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just get a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which ranks how well it uses electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER to meet federal mandates. 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 higher SEER ratings are usually costlier but might pay for themselves over their life span through more energy savings. And getting an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for extra rebates.

Comfort

Are you comfy when your air conditioner is on? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An old air conditioner may have problems keeping your house comfy due to lower efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed continuously, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a good approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort required 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. Most of these thermostats can pick up on your temperature preferences and then create an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or gone and adjust settings as necessary.

If you have an older 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 Style

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also called 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 looking at the sticker on the outside unit, which will show the refrigerant style.

If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever experiences a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be expensive. That’s since Freon is only available in decreased, 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 Stress-Free

If you’re still trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, 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 top question. That’s why working with Bell Mechanical Services for air conditioning installation in McKinney and Frisco and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our professionals will help you select the right model 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 accommodate your budget.

Call us at 888-863-0560 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!