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What should I look for in a new air conditioner? |
| A : |
While air conditioners require the use of some different components in your heating and cooling system, the three most important factors you should evaluate are essentially the same: quality, efficiency, and comfort features.
Quality -
When you purchase a new car, the quality of it helps determine how well it will perform and for how long. An air conditioner is really no different. Purchasing a brand name that has a reputation for quality and reliability can save you headaches and extra expense down the road.
New Welsch air conditioners and split systems, for example, undergo 34 quality tests and checks during production, with more than 20 of these being performed on every unit - not just on random samples. Plus, we back every air conditioner in writing, with a 5-year limited warranty on the compressor (some deluxe models have 10) and a one-year limited warranty on the parts.
Efficiency -
Cooling efficiency for air conditioners is indicated by a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating, which tells you how efficiently the unit uses electricity. In general, the higher the SEER, the less electricity the unit will use to cool your home. In 1992, the government established minimum efficiency standards for units installed in new homes at 10.0 SEER. Most air conditioners manufactured before 1992 had SEER ratings below 7.0.
Air conditioners manufactured today have SEER ratings that range from 10.0 to about 17.
Usually, the higher the efficiency, the more expensive the unit. Your Welsch professional can use cooling data from our area to help you determine about how long it would take you to recover the additional cost in energy savings. Of course, after the payback, you continue to save on your energy bills for the life of the system.
One other point to keep in mind is that your air conditioner is a "split system," which means that there is an outdoor unit (condenser) and an indoor unit (coil). If you're replacing an existing system, both units should be replaced to make sure your new condensing unit gives you optimal performance, efficiency and comfort.
Comfort Features -
Some air conditioners offer additional features that provide greater comfort (as well as additional energy savings). Two-speed units can run on low speed (using 50% of the energy) up to 80% of the time, so they operate more quietly and run for longer periods of time than single-speed models. Longer operating periods translate into fewer on/off cycles, fewer drafts and much smaller temperature swings -- only two or three degrees instead of the four-degree swings common with single-speed units. Plus, better air circulation helps prevent air "stratification" - warm air rising to the ceiling and cold air settling on the floor. In short, you get consistent, even cooling throughout your home.
If you purchase a multi-speed or variable-capacity furnace or fan coil with your unit, you will enhance both the comfort and the efficiency of your air conditioning system even further. |
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