With adequate upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free cooling for years. But, similar to any other appliance in your residence, it will ultimately need to be upgraded. Knowing when to get a new one is essential to skip pricey repairs, costly electrical bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it involves being cool and your home’s energy efficiency, our Tru Air Systems LLC specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. Here are several points you should consider when you’re thinking about updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

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

Trustworthiness

How reliable is your air conditioner? Does it cool reliably, even on the warmest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less dependable it’s time to begin preparing to get an updated one.

Repair Expenses

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s anticipated for it to need several minor repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the cost of a new air conditioner, it’s smarter to just replace it.

Energy Efficiency

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

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with higher SEER ratings are often costlier but could pay for themselves over the years 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 comfy when your air conditioner is running? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to stay cool? An older air conditioner might have problems keeping your home comfy because of decreased efficiency. A modern air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of operating at full speed all the time, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should provide cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, ask us about getting 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

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 not much. The majority of these thermostats can learn from your temperature preferences and then make an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or away and adjust temps as necessary.

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

Refrigerant Style

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially runs on Freon®. Also referred to as 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 include the refrigerant type.

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

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

Our Techs Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

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

We are aware that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why collaborating with Tru Air Systems LLC for air conditioning installation in Albuquerque and surrounding areas is simple 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 fit your budget.

Reach us at 505-226-3525 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!