Are your cooling bills telling you that this is the last summer for your air conditioner? Or perhaps you haven’t been as cool and comfortable as you would like to be. As summer is winding down, it’s a good idea to start doing research on high-efficiency air conditioners so you are ready to upgrade before the next Long Island heat wave.
If you have never purchased a new air conditioner, or if it has been more than 10 years since your last upgrade, it helps to understand these cooling concepts before you buy:
- Refrigerant. Older air conditioners use R-22 as the refrigerant, the material that circulates through the system to transfer heat. However, new models use more environmentally-friendly compounds.
- SEER. The seasonal energy efficiency ratio indicates how much energy is required to provide sufficient cooling over the entire season. A higher SEER rating indicates higher efficiency, which translates to lower monthly cooling bills after you upgrade.
- Cooling capacity. The amount of heat that an air conditioner can remove from a room in one hour is referred to as its cooling capacity. This is important to know so you can purchase properly sized equipment. Units that are too large or too small will operate inefficiently and fail to provide sufficient home comfort. Proper sizing depends on much more than the square footage of your home; it is best to work with a professional to determine the appropriate air conditioner size for your home.
- Noise rating. Especially important for homes with the outdoor unit located near windows, every air conditioner has a different noise rating measured in decibels. If noise a concern for you, look for a unit with quiet operation.
These are a just a few factors to consider when upgrading. If this is your year for an air conditioner upgrade, call the professionals at T.F. O’Brien Cooling & Heating to help you decide which equipment to purchase. Our trained technicians can determine the correct size, efficiency rating and model that will provide the best meet your cooling needs. Drop in, or contact us anytime to schedule an appointment.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).