With summer in full swing, having an efficient air conditioner should be a high priority for many Dayton area residents. If you’re thinking about a possible upgrade to your current AC system, you should keep some important terms in mind.
A typical air conditioner will have two compartments that contain a compressor, an evaporator coil and a condenser. Compressors act as the hub of the cooling system by squeezing the molecules of refrigerant gas together, increasing the pressure of the refrigerant while circulating it. This refrigerant gas then moves to the evaporator coil where it absorbs heat from its surroundings and creates vapor. In the other compartment, the condenser squeezes the refrigerated vapor through a second evaporator coil, condensing it into a liquid and releasing the pressure created by the compressor, lowering temperature, and creating cool air.
After learning how the A/C works, you should focus on terms regarding the efficiency of the unit: the Energy efficiency ratio (EER) and the Seasonal Energy Efficiency ratio (SEER).
- EER – Ratio of output cooling in Btu/hr (British thermal unit) to input electrical power (in Watts) at any given time. This is especially important in the hot summer months, and you should be looking for an EER higher than 11.6.
- SEER – Rating of the cooling output of a unit in Btu-hours during a cooling season divided by the total electric energy input in Watt-hours during the same period. The higher the SEER rating on the unit, the more efficient it is. All new A/C’s come with a SEER rating of 13 or higher.
With this in mind, you can simply look for the Energy Star label, which certifies the unit meets the federal program’s efficiency standards, and has a SEER rating of 14 or higher.
Minimum operating standards are higher than in the past, with current generation A/C’s using 30-50 percent less energy to produce the same cooling effect as older units. So if your system does not meet current minimum requirements, you should strongly consider an upgrade.
If you would like more information on upgrading your current system, contact Ace Hardware Home Services to get started.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Ace Hardware Home Services services the Ohio’s Miami Valley. To get started, check out our website or request an appointment.
