Add Up the Benefits of Buying a New Air Conditioner

August 20, 2015

When you’re considering a major purchase like a new car, it can be difficult to fight the feeling that you’re “being sold.” The feeling often intensifies if you’re unsure about the purchase in the first place.

Just as you weigh the pros and cons of investing in a new car, you should deliberate the advantages of investing in a new air conditioning system just as carefully.

The big difference is, with this potential purchase, you’ll have a helpful and knowledgeable expert in Charlie’s Tropic Heating & Air Conditioning. And rest assured: the only thing we’re interested in “selling” our valued customers is trust in the veracity of our inspection.

A comprehensive inspection is vital because it just could be that your air conditioner needs only a repair (or series of repairs) to keep it running. Oftentimes, this “stop-gap” measure allows a homeowner to save up for the inevitability of purchasing a new air conditioner.

And herein lies a key point: just like any other mechanical system – cars included – air conditioners have an expected lifespan. Most last about 15 years – longer if they’re meticulously maintained.

If your air conditioner is more than 10 years old, and the repairs are getting gradually more substantial in scope and cost – approaching about 50 percent of the value of the entire system – it might be time to invest in a new air conditioner.

Charlie’s defers to an objective, third-party source when adding up the benefits of a new air conditioner: the U.S. Department of Energy. Consider:

  • Greater energy efficiency. “Even if your air conditioner is only 10 years old, you may save 20 to 40 percent of your cooling energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient model,” the department says. The actual savings largely depends on the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER), or the amount of energy needed to provide a specific cooling output. Many older air conditioning systems have SEER ratings of six or less; the minimum SEER allowed by manufacturing standards today is 13. This means that today’s best air conditioners can be more than 50 percent more efficient than older models. If math is not your strong suit, Charlie’s can help you figure out how long it will take you to recoup the investment in a new air conditioning system, factoring in your lower utility bills (and assuming your home is well insulated and the ducts are structurally sound).
  • Reliability – and the ensuing peace of mind. You can put a price tag on an air conditioning repair; you cannot put a price tag on knowing that a new air conditioning system liberates you of the anxiety of unexpected breakdowns and repairs. On the off-chance that a malfunction does occur, a new air conditioner is covered by a warranty.
  • Improved indoor air quality. Today’s high efficiency air conditioners include variable speed motors, which work hard to ensure better air flow and work even harder to remove impurities from the air.
  • Quieter operation. Here’s one “problem” you’ll probably love to have with a new air conditioner, especially if your current air conditioner is one noisy contraption: a slow, steady hum that fades easily into the background.
  • Safer, climate-friendly refrigerant that doesn’t ravage the environment, as mandated the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
  • Enhanced marketability of your home. A new air conditioner is enormously appealing to home buyers. Even if you don’t plan to sell your home for five to 10 years, the investment you make today will pay you dividends in the future.

There’s one other benefit that the department of energy cannot attest to, but Charlie’s Tropic Heating & Air Conditioning can: in the course of serving homeowners in northeastern Florida since 1998, we have never heard anyone express “buyer’s remorse” over purchasing a new air conditioning system. In fact, with the benefit of hindsight in their rear-view mirror, they usually say that it was one of the best investments they ever made in their home.

If you think the time has come for you to reap the benefits of a new air conditioning system, call Charlie’s for a consultation. We’ll put you in the driver’s seat of this important decision — and help you stop sweating the details.

You May Also Like…

20 Comments

  1. A very good blog on appliances. I love the article.

  2. Cool post! Thank you for helping me understand the benefits of buying a new AC unit. I like how you said that “If your air conditioner is more than 10 years old, and the repairs are getting gradually more substantial in scope and cost – approaching about 50 percent of the value of the entire system – it might be time to invest in a new air conditioner.” My parents hired an HVAC contractor to help them choose and install a new AC unit and it has really helped them to save a lot of money.

  3. This is some great information, and I appreciate your point that installing a new air conditioner can increase your energy efficiency. My husband and I have had our current system for more than fifteen years now, and we’re thinking it’s probably about time to replace it. Knowing that we can save so much on our cooling costs by doing so, we’ll definitely look into having that done soon. Thanks for the great post!

  4. We are getting our home ready for the upcoming summer season. It was cool to know what an AC unit that is new can run up to 10 years. I hope this article can help us to know what preparations we should make to make our home more comfortable this summer.

  5. I didn’t realize that having a new air conditioner can really save 20 to 40% of cooling energy. That is certainly enough to make me consider getting a new one. I did just buy an older home that needs work done with the heating and cooling, but I think it might be worth hiring a professional and having them install a new system.

  6. The air conditioner in my home is a bit old. I’m not sure if it’s more than 10 years old. However, I’m beginning to think it’s time for to invest in a new one since you said that older systems cost more to repair. It just sounds cheaper to buy a new AC and avoid repairs in the long run.

  7. I appreciate that you mentioned that new AC units provide more energy efficiency. My wife and I are thinking about getting a new unit before summer. I’ll have to look into a good HVAC installer.

  8. your article was very helpful for me. thank you

  9. this article is very helpful, thanks

  10. very helpful article, thank you

  11. thank you for helping my task

  12. Amazing information you have shared in this article. This article helps me a lot and also I found some unknown information in this article. Thank you for the information.

  13. This article helps me a lot and also I found some unknown information in this article. i think this is very helpful for everyone .

  14. Thanks for the info! This is highly reassuring to me.

  15. This is some great information, and I appreciate your point. Thanks for sharing such helpful article.

  16. Effective information you have pointed in this article.I appreciate that you mentioned that new AC units provide more energy efficiency. thanks for your informative article.

  17. Fantastic post. Thanks for sharing such information. I liked that you pointed out that I should give my AC a good clean if I am having issues with it.

  18. It’s cool that you point out that having a new air conditioner installed can help lower your energy bills. I’d like to lower my home’s energy costs, so I’m considering having a new air conditioner installed this summer. I’m going to see if there’s a good business in my area that can install an air conditioner for me.

  19. It’s cool that you point out that replacing your old air conditioner with a new one can help lower your home’s energy bills. I’d like to reduce my energy costs this year, so I’m considering hiring an HVAC company to install a new air conditioner for me. I’m going to look for a good HVAC company in my area that offers air conditioning installation services.

  20. Thank you for pointing out that getting a new air conditioner can help reduce your energy bills. I’d like to lower my energy costs this year, so I’m thinking about having a new air conditioner installed in my home. I’m going to look for a reputable business that can install new air conditioning for me.

Leave a Reply to Cameron Bennett

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *