Although the average temperature in Minnesota is 55 degrees, summer will be here before we know it (fingers crossed!). And Minnesota isn’t a slouch in the summer as temps have been known to skyrocket to 100 degrees in the past. During those hot, humid months you want a reliable and effective air conditioner helping your home stay cool.

Odds are, you already have an air conditioning system installed in your home as 87% of homes are equipped with AC systems. However, that system might not be pulling its weight or working as well as it should be.

While regular air conditioner maintenance can help keep your system working efficiently, waning AC performance could mean that you don’t have the right type of air conditioner or need a new system. This is especially true if you are relying on an air conditioner that is more than 15 years old.

Today, new, high-efficiency air conditioners outperform their cousins in plenty of categories, helping homeowners benefit from the cleanest, most efficient cooling options ever. But how can you be sure that an air conditioner upgrade is the answer for your home?

Start by asking yourself the following questions:

5 Things to Ask Yourself Before Upgrading Your Air Conditioner

1. How Cool Do You Want Your Home?

If you have a mid- to large-size home and are using more than two rooms regularly, you most likely will benefit from central air or heat pumps. Central air conditioning and air source heat pumps units more effectively deliver cool air to every room in the house all at once using your ductwork. As a result, your home will remain consistently cooler and more comfortable than alternative air conditioners.

2. What’s Your Noise Tolerance?

Not only are central ACs and heat pumps more efficient and effective in cooling your home, they will also rid your home of a noisy unit. Window, portable, and ductless air conditioners have a unit that rests within the room they’re cooling. While it may be a step up from an oscillating fan, you’re still hearing the motorized sounds of a compressor.

3. How Clean Do You Want Your Home?

With a window or portable air conditioning unit, you still need to leave some windows open during the summer months for air to circulate. Dust, grime, pollen, and allergens—from traffic and trees—all find their way into your home.

Alternative types of air conditioners, like split systems, heat pumps, and central air, eliminate the need to open windows in your home—more effectively keeping those bad particles out. Allowing your windows to stay closed also improves your air conditioning efficiency, reducing your energy bills in the process.

4. How Much Cash Are You Really Saving?

Although window units and portable air conditioners may have a lower initial investment (running only about $95-200 per unit), if you need to cool more than one room in your home, their lack of efficiency will end up costing you more money in the long run. And when it comes to ductless air conditioners, you may need more than one unit if you need to cool several areas throughout your home, which adds to your total investment.

5. Do You Have Ducts?

Central air conditioners and air source heat pumps need ducts in order to effectively cool your home. Without ductwork, those types of air conditioners can become a costly investment as it requires those ducts to be installed. If your home lacks ducts, the upfront cost of an air conditioner installation may exceed your budget. You might need to stick with the AC system you currently have or switch to a ductless air conditioner.

How an AC Upgrade Benefits Your Home

Added Efficiency That Saves You Money

According to the Department of Energy, cooling and heating account for over half of the energy used in your home. By investing in a new high-efficiency AC unit, you can save hundreds of dollars each year in utility costs. For example, Trane XLi air conditioners range from 14 – 19 on the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER), all exceeding the minimum efficiency rating of 13. With greater efficiency, you can reduce air conditioning costs as the unit doesn’t need as much electricity or energy to cool your home.

Increases Air Quality

The Environmental Protection Agency lists indoor air quality as one of the top five risks to human health. Cleaner indoor air reduces the potential of lung-related reactions such as asthma and allergies. A newer, upgraded AC unit can have low-speed fans that boost air circulation, further clarifying the air in your home.

Closely Controls Humidity

The low-speed fans in newer AC units provide cleaner indoor air, but also reduce humidity with improved air circulation. This means the air moving through your home is more comfortable and less likely to cause moisture-related damage.

Creates a Quiet Environment

While we may welcome the tell-tale sounds of air conditioning units firing up on a sweltering summer afternoon, even better is the sound of quiet cooling on a lovely summer night. Newer AC systems can come equipped with dual compressors, allowing them to work hard at exceptionally quiet levels because they address regular and extreme cooling situations.

Ready to Upgrade Your AC?

If you are still relying on a window or portable unit to cool your home during those hot and humid Minnesota summer days, you stand a lot to gain by upgrading your air conditioning system. The same is true if your HVAC system is more than 15 years old. If either one of those applies to you, contact us to request a quote on a new, efficient model.

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