With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free cooling for a long time. But, similar to any other thing in your house, it will eventually need to be replaced. Knowing when to replace it is important to prevent pricey repairs, expensive energy bills and comfort disruptions.

When it includes being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our West Michigan Heating & Air Conditioning Services pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into deciding when your air conditioner requires replacement. Here are a few points you should consider when you’re thinking about upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

Typically, the Department of Energy says many air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s recommended to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for installation.

Dependability

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

Repair Expenses

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s anticipated for it to need a handful of little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the price of a new air conditioner, it’s smarter to just install a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which measures how proficiently it expends electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at minimum 13 SEER per federal rules. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it gets older.

Now, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, 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 time 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 comfortable when your air conditioner is running? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An aging air conditioner may struggle to keep your home comfy because of decreased efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed constantly, these air conditioners run at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should deliver cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, ask us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners cool at a sound level that’s comparable to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Getting a smart thermostat is a good method 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. The majority of these thermostats can learn from your temperature preferences and then create an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away and adjust temps as necessary.

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

Refrigerant Style

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably runs on Freon®. Also referred to as 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 running fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever experiences a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be costly. 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 add Puron in a Freon air conditioner, because pressure requirements are different.

Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Hassle-Free

If you’re still trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner within the immediate future, 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 add up over the years.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why partnering with West Michigan Heating & Air Conditioning Services for air conditioning installation in Hudsonville and surrounding areas is stress-free and affordable. Our technicians will help you find 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 fit your budget.

Call us at (616) 319-1436 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!