With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free service for a long time. But, just like any other appliance in your residence, it will eventually need to be updated. Knowing when to replace it is essential to prevent pricey repairs, higher electrical bills and interrupted comfort.

When it comes to being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our MPC Heating & Cooling specialists 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

Most of the time, the Department of Energy says the majority of air conditioners last for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the center point. It’s recommended to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweating while you’re waiting for installation.

Dependability

How trustworthy is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the toastiest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner is less dependable it’s time to start thinking about getting an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s life span, it’s normal for it to need a few little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the expenses of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just replace it.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner has a SEER rating, which ranks how proficiently it consumes electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER per federal mandates. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it gets older.

As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with bigger SEER ratings are typically costlier but might pay for themselves over time through increased 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 cool when your air conditioner is running? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An aging air conditioner may have trouble keeping your house comfy due to reduced 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 fine-tune your comfort.

Noise

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

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Installing a smart thermostat is a good way to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort necessary 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 not much. Most of these thermostats can pick up on your temperature preferences and then create an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away and adjust temperatures as necessary.

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

Refrigerant Type

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 made because of its negative effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner uses R-22 by looking at the sticker on the outside unit, which will include the refrigerant type.

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

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

Our Pros Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

If you’re still deciding whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner now, think over this. The Department of Energy says doing air conditioning replacement for a 10-year-old model can provide 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really accumulate over the years.

We know that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why working with MPC Heating & Cooling for air conditioning installation in Chadron and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our techs will help you find 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 accommodate your budget.

Get in touch with us at 308-832-4321 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!