With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free cooling for years. But, like any other appliance in your home, it will eventually need to be replaced. Knowing when to get a new one is key to skip pricey repairs, costly electrical bills and comfort disruptions.

When it includes being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Morgner Inc. Air Conditioning & Heating pros 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 updating your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

In most instances, the Department of Energy says many air conditioners work for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the midpoint. It’s recommended to begin preparing for air conditioning installation before it wears out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a new one.

Trustworthiness

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

Repair Expenses

Over your air conditioner’s life cycle, it’s expected for it to need a few little repairs. But if your air conditioner repair cost is more than half the price of a new air conditioner, it’s recommended to just install a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner includes a SEER rating, which rates how proficiently it expends electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER to meet federal rules. However, your air conditioner becomes less efficient as it ages.

Today, 15–18 SEER is a popular number, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with bigger SEER ratings are usually costlier but could pay for themselves over their life span through improved 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 comfy when your air conditioner is working? Or are you constantly dialing down the temperature to keep cool? An older air conditioner could struggle to keep your home comfy due to reduced efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can lower high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed all the time, these air conditioners work at multiple speeds to adjust your comfort.

Noise

Your air conditioner should deliver cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is annoying you, check with us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. The majority of these air conditioners run at a sound level that’s similar to a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a wise way to maximize your energy efficiency, with minimal effort necessary from you. And, depending on the rebates available from 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 gone and change temperatures as necessary.

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

Refrigerant Type

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably runs on Freon®. Also called R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being produced 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 operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops a refrigerant leak, solving the problem will be expensive. That’s since 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 Professionals Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

If you’re still debating whether you should replace your 15-year-old air conditioner soon, think about 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 build up as time goes by.

We are aware that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why collaborating with Morgner Inc. Air Conditioning & Heating for air conditioning installation in Saint Louis and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our pros 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.

Call us at 314-262-4541 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!