If you are looking to replace your air conditioning system, you will soon find that not all A/C units are created equal. Some new models are much more efficient and environmentally friendly than other models. However, these high efficiency air conditioners are also generally more expensive up front. Sure, the more efficient unit will save money on your electric bills, but is it worth the initial cost? Thankfully, there are free tools you can use to see if a high efficiency air conditioner makes sense for you.
You can compare A/C units by looking at the SEER rating, or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. All you really need to know about SEER is that the higher the number, the more efficient the air conditioner is. All new air conditioners are required to have a SEER rating of at least 13. However, some high efficiency air conditioners have SEER ratings of 20 or more.
To see how the SEER rating translates into dollars and cents, you can download a free Energy Star cost calculator worksheet in Excel format. Simply plug in the details for your own home, and the worksheet will automatically calculate the energy savings, and how long it would take for those savings to cover the higher initial cost.
For more details on high efficiency air conditioners and what options are available contact us at Bradbury Brothers today. We will be happy to help you determine what air conditioning solution would work best for your home.
High Efficiency Air Conditioners simply use less energy than standard models. All of the new air conditioners are more efficient than those from years past, but some have a higher rating than others.
The efficiency rating system for central air conditioners is based on its Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). It is determined by comparing the amount of heating/cooling it provides within a season with the unit of energy it consumes. The less energy that your system consumes, the higher the rating will be. Similar to a MPG rating for cars, the higher the number, the more efficient the air conditioner is.
The common SEER rating for models prior to 1990 was 6. That means it produced 6 BTU/hr of cooling or heating per watt of electricity. Today, the minimum SEER rating is 13, over double the amount of cooling/heating produced per watt, and many
manufacturers offer high efficiency air conditioners capable of up to 21 SEER.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Bradbury Brothers services most of southern Montgomery County including The Woodlands, Conroe, Magnolia, Montgomery, Oak Ridge North, Pinehurst, Shenandoah as well as northern Harris county including Cypress, Klein, Spring and Tomball.
