With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free cooling for a long time. But, similar to any other machine in your residence, it will ultimately need to be updated. Knowing when to install a new one is important to avoid pricey repairs, expensive utility bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it involves being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our LTS Plumbing & Heating Inc. pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. Here are a few points you should consider when you’re thinking about replacing your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

Most of the time, the Department of Energy says the majority of air conditioners run for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s wise to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a new one.

Trustworthiness

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

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s anticipated for it to need a few 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 install a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which measures how well it uses electricity to create cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER according to federal laws. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it gets older.

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular range, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with higher SEER ratings are typically costlier but might pay for themselves over their life span through more 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 stay cool? An old air conditioner may have trouble keeping your home 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 operating at full speed all the time, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should give cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is a concern, ask us about installing 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 wise method to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates available from your utility company, you may be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for not much. 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 out and about and change temps as necessary.

If you have an older air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Getting a new air conditioner is a smart method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Type

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

If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops a refrigerant leak, solving the problem will be expensive. 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 lead to 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really build up over time.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why working with LTS Plumbing & Heating Inc. for air conditioning installation in Shamokin and Sunbury and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our technicians will help you choose the right option 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.

Get in touch with us at 570-648-0748 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!