With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free cooling for many years. But, like any other thing in your home, it will at some point need to be updated. Knowing when to replace it is essential to avoid pricey repairs, expensive energy bills and comfort disruptions.

When it comes to being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Ilten's specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out when your air conditioner needs to be replaced. Here are a few points you should consider when you’re thinking about replacing your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

In most instances, 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 halfway point. It’s recommended to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out 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 hottest days? Or is it regularly malfunctioning? When your air conditioner is less reliable it’s time to begin preparing to get 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 cost of a new air conditioner, it’s wiser to just get a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which measures how well it consumes electricity to produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER per federal laws. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it wears out.

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular range, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with higher SEER ratings are typically costlier but may 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 added rebates.

Comfort

Are you cool when your air conditioner is on? Or are you often dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An older air conditioner could have problems keeping your home comfy due to reduced efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of running at full speed all the time, these air conditioners operate at multiple speeds to adapt your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should give cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, ask us about installing a variable-speed air conditioner. Most 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 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 a greatly reduced price. Most 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 rely on an outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Upgrading your air conditioner is a wise method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Kind

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 damaging 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 list the refrigerant kind.

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

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

Our Technicians Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

If you’re still trying to decide whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, think over 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 as time passes.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why partnering with Ilten's for air conditioning installation in Cedar Rapids and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our professionals 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 work with your budget.

Reach us at 319-208-2351 to request your free, no-pressure estimate now!