With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will deliver worry-free performance for a long time. But, like any other appliance in your home, it will eventually need to be upgraded. Knowing when to get a new one is key to skip pricey repairs, higher electrical bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it involves being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Ilten's pros have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into figuring out when your air conditioner requires replacement. Here are a couple of points you should consider when you’re thinking about updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

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

Trustworthiness

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

Repair Expenses

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s normal for it to need several little 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 has a SEER rating, which ranks how proficiently it expends electricity to create cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER according to federal rules. However, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it gets older.

As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular ranking, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with higher SEER ratings are usually costlier but could pay for themselves over their life span 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 cool when your air conditioner is working? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An older air conditioner may have trouble keeping your house 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 constantly, 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, ask us about installing a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners run at a sound level that’s like a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Installing a smart thermostat is a smart way to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates available from your utility company, you may be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for a greatly reduced price. 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 adjust settings as necessary.

If you have an aging air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Upgrading your air conditioner is a smart method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Kind

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being made because of its bad effects on the ozone layer. You can see if your air conditioner has R-22 by reviewing the sticker on the outside unit, which will list the refrigerant type.

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

Newer air conditioners use 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 Stress-Free

If you’re still trying to decide 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 lead to 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really add up over the years.

We realize that air conditioner cost is your first question. That’s why partnering with Ilten's for air conditioning installation in Cedar Rapids and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our technicians will help you select 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 accommodate your budget.

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