It’s Time To Buy An Energy Efficient Air Conditioner

In the market for a new air conditioner? Why not ensure you buy an energy efficient air conditioner, one that will save you money in the coming years.

To make your final selection, you’ll start to notice that air conditioners are advertised by SEER ratings – Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. Air conditioners are rated with SEER ratings between 13 and 22 – the higher the number, the more energy efficient they are. But just because you are considering one at the top of the rating scale doesn’t mean it will be the most efficient for your home.

A lot goes into efficiency, including:

Ductwork – your air conditioner is a part of a system – the HVAC system – that determines how well your home will hold conditioned air. If the ductwork is intact, it will send conditioned air to every room in your home, and help maintain air temperature in between cycles. Unfortunately, ductwork is notorious for leaks, meaning your rooms aren’t always receiving a full stream of air. No matter how efficient your air conditioner is, if a room isn’t receiving airflow, you’ll never be comfortable.

Vents – ductwork carries air from the central unit through the ducts and out of the vents into your rooms. When was the last time you cleaned the vents? Are the vents blocked by drapery or furniture? Vents should also be sized appropriately for the room.

Air conditioner size – bigger isn’t always better. If you select an air conditioner bigger than you need, your costs could actually go up. A bigger air conditioner will push too much air out at a time, short cycling, and shut down before the cycle is complete. This is hard on your equipment, and prevents airflow from flowing correctly throughout your home.

On the other side, a unit that is too small will never be able to produce enough airflow for your home. It will overcompensate by running all the time. The correct size depends on how many windows and doors you have, the direction your home faces, square footage, climate, insulation, among other things.

If you’re in the market for a new energy efficient air conditioner, give us a call today. We can help you understand what you need to make your home an energy efficient home.