With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free service for years. But, just like any other appliance in your house, it will at some point need replacement. Knowing when to replace it is key to skip pricey repairs, costly electrical bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our J.L. Brady Company LLC specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out when your air conditioner requires replacement. Here are several points you should consider when you’re thinking about replacing your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

In most instances, 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 reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the warmest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less reliable it’s time to start preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Expenses

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s anticipated for it to need a handful of small 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 proficiently it consumes electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER according to federal mandates. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it ages.

Now, 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 might pay for themselves over their life span through increased 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 cool when your air conditioner is on? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An aging air conditioner may have problems keeping your house comfy as a result of reduced efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of operating at full speed continuously, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should give cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is bothering 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

Installing a smart thermostat is a smart approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort necessary from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you could be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. 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 alter temperatures as necessary.

If you use an outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Installing a new air conditioner is a smart 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 made because of its damaging effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner has R-22 by checking 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 pricey. That’s since Freon is only available in reduced, recycled amounts.

Newer air conditioners run on Puron®, or R-410A. But you can’t just put Puron in a Freon air conditioner, as 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 within the immediate future, consider 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 over the years.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why collaborating with J.L. Brady Company LLC for air conditioning installation in Moline and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our pros will help you select 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 work with your budget.

Reach us at 309-517-7511 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!