With ample upkeep, your air conditioner will offer worry-free service for many years. But, like any other thing in your house, it will at some point need replacement. Knowing when to replace it is important to skip pricey repairs, costly electrical bills and interrupted comfort.

When it includes being cool and your residence’s energy efficiency, our Airmax Long Island specialists have your best interests at heart. There’s a lot that goes into determining when your air conditioner should be replaced. Here are a couple of points you should consider when you’re thinking about upgrading your 15-year-old air conditioner.

Age

On average, the Department of Energy says most air conditioners run for 15–20 years. If yours is 15 years old, it’s well past the halfway point. It’s smart to get started preparing for air conditioning installation before it goes out so you aren’t sweltering while you’re waiting for a new one.

Reliability

How dependable is your air conditioner? Does it cool dependably, even on the warmest days? Or is it routinely malfunctioning? When your air conditioner becomes less dependable it’s time to start considering getting an updated one.

Repair Bills

Over your air conditioner’s lifetime, it’s expected for it to need a few 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 get a new one.

Energy Efficiency

Every air conditioner comes with a SEER rating, which measures how efficiently it consumes electricity to make cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2006, it will be at least 13 SEER to meet federal guidelines. However, your air conditioner loses efficiency as it wears out.

Now, 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 may pay for themselves over their life span through improved energy savings. And getting 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 constantly dialing down the temperature to remain cool? An old air conditioner may struggle to keep your home comfy as a result of reduced efficiency. An updated air conditioner, particularly a variable-speed air conditioner, can reduce 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 give cooling you can feel, not hear. If noise is a concern, check with us about getting a variable-speed air conditioner. Many of these air conditioners cool at a sound level that’s like a regular conversation.

Smart Thermostat Compatibility

Adding a smart thermostat is a good way to maximize your energy efficiency, with very little effort needed from you. And, depending on the rebates provided by your utility company, you may be able to get a free smart thermostat or get one for very little. Most of these thermostats can adjust to your temperature preferences and then develop an energy-efficient schedule to match. They also know when you’re at home or gone and change temps as necessary.

If you use an older 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 Style

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably runs on Freon®. Also known as R-22 refrigerant, Freon is no longer being made because of its negative 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 kind.

If your air conditioner is operating fine, you can keep on using it. However, if it ever develops a refrigerant leak, repairing the problem will be costly. 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, because pressure requirements are different.

Our Techs Make Air Conditioning Installation Easy

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 result in 25–40% in energy savings! And those savings can really accumulate over the years.

We are aware that air conditioner cost is your number one question. That’s why partnering with Airmax Long Island for air conditioning installation in Long Island and surrounding areas is easy and affordable. Our techs will help you choose the right solution 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 accommodate your budget.

Call us at 631-737-5566 to request your free, no-pressure estimate right away!