With proper upkeep, your air conditioner will provide worry-free service for a long time. But, similar to any other machine in your residence, it will eventually need to be updated. Knowing when to replace it is key to avoid pricey repairs, higher utility bills and interruptions to your comfort.

When it comes to being cool and your house’s energy efficiency, our Vogts Heating & Air 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 couple of 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 many air conditioners last 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 sweating while you’re waiting for a replacement.

Reliability

How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool well, even on the hottest days? Or is it frequently malfunctioning? When your air conditioner starts becoming less reliable it’s time to begin thinking about getting an updated one.

Repair Expenses

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

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which rates how efficiently it expends electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be a minimum of 13 SEER per federal guidelines. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it ages.

As of now, 15–18 SEER is a popular ranking, but efficiency can go as high as the mid-20s. Air conditioners with greater SEER ratings are typically costlier but might pay for themselves over time through more energy savings. And installing an energy-efficient air conditioner, especially one that’s an ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, can make you eligible for extra rebates.

Comfort

Are you cool when your air conditioner is running? Or are you continuously dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An older air conditioner might struggle to keep your residence comfy due to lower efficiency. A new air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce high humidity and hot and cold spots. Instead of cooling at full speed continuously, 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, 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

Installing a smart thermostat is a wise approach to maximize your energy efficiency, with not much effort required from you. And, depending on the rebates offered by your utility company, you may 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 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 outdated air conditioner, a smart thermostat might not work with it. Getting a new air conditioner is a smart method to ensure smart thermostat compatibility.

Refrigerant Kind

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it potentially runs on Freon®. Also known as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being produced because of its damaging 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 list the refrigerant kind.

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 because Freon is only available in decreased, recycled amounts.

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

Our Professionals Make Air Conditioning Installation Stress-Free

If you’re still deciding 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 accumulate over time.

We know that air conditioner cost is your top question. That’s why partnering with Vogts Heating & Air for air conditioning installation in Pocatello and surrounding areas is simple and affordable. Our techs will help you find the right solution 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 208-621-0129 to request your free, no-pressure estimate today!