subject: Air Conditioning Units - Recommendations For Better Efficiency [print this page] Air conditioners are something that many of us take for granted. Our a/c units toil away faithfully on our behalf, humming and buzzing in the background on hot days. They make our lives bearable when the weather gets hot and humid, but otherwise we generally think little about them.
That is, until the energy bill comes in the mail! When we see our energy costs spike mid-summer, that is usually when our air conditioning units emerge into our awareness. High energy bills can motivate us to find ways to have a more energy-efficient air conditioner.
If you're purchasing aircon units, suggestions for better potency can help get you on the right track :
1. If you happen to be using room air conditioners, consider making the switch to a central air conditioner : If you are presently using room air conditioners as your primary source of cooling, consider making the switch to an energy-efficient central air conditioner. Potency in air-conditioning is crucial for reduced power bills and for conserving the environment. For instance, in a mean air-conditioned home, aircon uses more than 2k kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. This causes power plants to radiating over 3500 pounds of carbon-dioxide!
2. If you already have central air, consider making the switch to a high-efficiency unit : Many older houses today, like those built before the 1980s, are provided with older central air conditioning units. These units often are 30% to fifty percent less efficient than are today's high-efficiency units. Even replacing a / c units that are less than 10 years old could save you twenty percent to 30 percent or even more on your cooling costs.
3. Focus on the seasonal energy conservation proportion ( SEER ) : Each a / c unit is marked with its seasonal energy conservation proportion ( SEER ). SEER indicates the relative quantity of energy needed to provide a particular level of cooling. Most older systems have a SEER of six or less. Today , it's the law that a system must have a SEER of about thirteen. But take note : many high-efficiency units have a SEER far larger than thirteen, so be certain to find one inside your resources which has as high a SEER as practicable.
4. Fan features worth having : Your new air conditioner will consistent of 4 main elements : condenser, compressor, evaporator and fan. Each one of these has a vital part to play in figuring out the SEER of the air conditioner you decide to have installed. While the fan could appear like the least technically-important of all these parts, there are some vital fan features worth searching for. When having a look at new units :
a. Find a variable speed air handler to accommodate new ventilation systems b. Choose a unit with a fan that operates quietly c. Confirm it comes supplied with a fan-only switch ; this will enable you to use run your unit at night with the air-con function switched off but in a fashion that allows for ventilation of your home d. An auto-delay fan switch ; this could cause the unit to attend a couple of minutes to switch off the fan once the compressor has gone off
5. Install dehumidifying pipe : If you live in an exceedingly wet climate, you could be lured to install a dehumidifier to reduce overall air humidity in your house. Nonetheless this isn't endorsed because doing so will basically boost your power usage ( and bills ). Instead, install a dehumidifying heat pipe. This is retrofit most existing a / c systems.
Follow these five pointers to find an air-conditioning unit that affords you bigger potency.
