With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free cooling for years. But, just like any other appliance in your home, it will eventually need to be replaced. Knowing when to replace it is essential to skip pricey repairs, expensive utility bills and interrupted comfort.

When it comes to being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Tri County Climate Control LLC professionals have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. Here are a couple of points you should consider when you’re thinking about replacing your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

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

Dependability

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

Repair Expenses

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 expenses of a new air conditioner, it’s smarter to just get a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which ranks how well it expends electricity to create cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER to meet federal rules. 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 greater SEER ratings are often costlier but might pay for themselves over time through more energy savings. And purchasing 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 constantly dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An aging air conditioner might struggle to keep your home comfy because of reduced efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can minimize high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed all the time, these air conditioners work 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. Most of these air conditioners run at a sound level that’s similar to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Getting a smart thermostat is a good approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates offered by your utility company, you could be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for a greatly reduced price. The majority 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 away and change temperatures as necessary.

If you use an aging 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 Kind

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being produced because of its negative effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner uses R-22 by checking the sticker on the outside unit, which will list the refrigerant kind.

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

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

Our Techs Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

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 result in 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really build up over time.

We know that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why collaborating with Tri County Climate Control LLC for air conditioning installation in Bend and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our pros will help you select the right model 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 fit your budget.

Call us at 541-238-2797 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!