Summer is here and temperatures have finally warmed up. You may have an air conditioner now but how is its performance? Is it running strong, or will it need to be replaced soon. This is an important thing to know so you can be prepared should it decide to go out when you need it most. Here are a few tips on how to know when it time to replace your air conditioner.
The first thing to look at is the age of the air conditioner. According to Energy.gov, the air conditioner is best replaced after about 10 to 15 years. Each year that goes by, they become less energy efficient for you even with proper maintenance. If you don’t remember when you purchased your air conditioner, you can look at the side plate and call the manufacturer with the model and serial number to find out the age of the air conditioner. Even though it says 10-15 years, you can save 40% on your energy bills if you replace it after 10 years.
Another sign of age is decreased performance in removing humidity from your home. One of the coils functions is to remove humidity from your home. As your unit gets older, your coil becomes less efficient and that results in more humidity in your home. Other coil issues you can have is it icing up or growing mold.
When you feel temperature inconsistencies, it is time to consider replacing your air conditioner. When you have some rooms that are really cool and others that are not cool enough, it could be due to your air conditioner getting weaker in its life. It can also be caused by poor insulation or duct work issues so make sure to check for those before just assuming its the unit dying out.
When you are constantly getting the air conditioner replaced it may be time to get a new one. You don’t want to dump a ton of money into fixing the air conditioner that is older and not efficient. When the repairs are small and not expensive than that is OK, but when the repairs are larger and more costly, it would be a good idea to use that money to buy a new efficient unit that will be reliable and save you money in the long run.
If you are seeing your energy bills rise more and more, your older AC could be the culprit. With each decline in the SEER, you lose up to 9% of efficiency each year.
Benefits of changing your air conditioner
*Energy efficiency- Your old unit was probably a SEER rating of around 7 and today minimum SEER rating is 13. SEER is the energy efficiency rating, the higher the seer the more efficient.
*You will save money on your bills. Air conditioner usually takes up about 30% of your energy bills, replacing your unit will save you around 15% on your energy bill each month.
*Newer units are compatible with programmable thermostats. With a programmable thermostat, you save energy and money by being able to set the units to be warmer when you aren’t home using the air conditioning.
*When you buy a new air conditioner, you are eligible for tax credits and sometimes rebates too.
Bartlett Heating and Air comes out to your home and gives you free estimates based on your homes needs. We are an authorized Carrier dealer. Call Bartlett Heating and Air today to schedule your free estimate.
