Is it Time for a New Air Conditioner? Why it’s Worth the Cost
Is your air conditioner on its last leg? Are you moving into a new house and need to upgrade the existing system? Is your A/C costing you an arm and a leg every month in utility costs?
Installing a new air conditioner may not sound like the most glamorous upgrade to your house, but it could save you a sizeable amount on your monthly electrical bill while keeping you more comfortable! We’re not talking about chump change here, A/C units use about 5 percent of all the electricity produced in the United States, costing homeowners more than $11 billion annually.
These are the 3 reasons why a new A/C unit is worth the upgrade cost:
High Efficiency
Less than 2 decades ago, the standard SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating) of the best available air conditioner was around 6 to 8. Today, the minimum allowable SEER rating for a new unit in Texas is 14. This jump in efficiency means substantially less energy being consumed by your system, costing you less on a monthly basis.
Let’s say you have an older system with a SEER rating of 10. If you were to upgrade to a new air conditioner with a SEER rating of 15, just above the minimum allowable rating, you would save at least 33% on your energy costs for the year. That’s just for a new system that’s just above the minimum allowable rating, higher-efficiency systems available on the market could save you even more.
Higher Levels Of Performance
A new air conditioner can regulate the temperature in your home more precisely and consistently than older models. A new system will use less energy to lower the temperature and when paired with effective insulation, will keep your home cooler for longer periods of time. The progression of technology has been limited to efficiency – vast improvements in fan-blade shape and compressor technology, some models make one-twentieth the noise of old units. New systems can even retrieve information about the weather outside via internet access to automatically adjust the temperature inside your home. A new air conditioner generally will be compatible with smart devices that can optimize your system’s energy usage, while also giving you detailed reports.
More Capabilities
A new air conditioner can offer much more than the basic interface of the late ’90s. Modern systems are compatible with smart thermostats, and through the thermostat, your smartphone. Smart thermostats give you the highest level of control possible over your home’s temperature. If you happen to be out of the house, or even out of the country, you can adjust the temperature simply by opening the thermostat’s app. Smart thermostats also monitor the air quality in your home and will turn on the fan automatically to clean the air if the pollen, dust, or mold particle count crosses a preset threshold. A new air conditioner may also be able to connect to The Weather Channel and adjust the temperature in your home accordingly. A smart thermostat can prepare detailed reports based on energy consumption and other measurables that can help increase your air conditioner’s efficiency in the future. An A/C upgrade is not only in your wallet’s best interest but is a great idea if you are sensitive to seasonal allergies.
Replacing an HVAC system can be a headache, but an old a/c unit may be costing you hundreds of dollars more per year than a new air conditioner! If your air conditioner is more than ten years old, it may be time to upgrade. Upgrading won’t just save you money monthly on electricity usage, it will offer you more options than ever before, including compatibility with devices such as smart thermostats. If you have any questions about your current system or your options when upgrading, please drop us a line here!
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