With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free cooling for years. But, just like any other machine in your house, it will ultimately need replacement. Knowing when to install a new one is important to avoid pricey repairs, higher energy bills and comfort disruptions.

When it comes to being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our JTech Mechanical pros 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 few points you should consider when you’re thinking about updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

In most instances, the Department of Energy says many air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s wise to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it fails so you aren’t roasting while you’re waiting for a replacement.

Trustworthiness

How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool dependably, even on the hottest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less dependable it’s time to initiate considering getting an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s anticipated for it to need several small repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the expenses of a new air conditioner, it’s wiser to just get a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which rates how proficiently it expends electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER per federal rules. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it ages.

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with greater SEER ratings are usually costlier but could pay for themselves over time through increased 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 comfy when your air conditioner is running? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An aging air conditioner may have problems keeping your home comfy as a result of reduced efficiency. An updated 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 run at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a wise method 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 very little. Many 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 alter temps as necessary.

If you have an older 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 Type

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

If your air conditioner is running fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever experiences a refrigerant leak, solving the problem will be costly. That’s due to the fact Freon is only available in decreased, recycled amounts.

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

Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

If you’re still deciding 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 first question. That’s why collaborating with JTech Mechanical for air conditioning installation in Magnolia and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our professionals will help you find the right option for your needs and then go over 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.

Get in touch with us at 281-231-8768 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!