Energy efficiency is a hot topic these days. When people shop for cars, they look first at the miles per gallon; when they buy light bulbs, they get high-efficiency compact fluorescent bulbs. But the energy savings created by a few more miles per gallon or a few light bulbs can be dwarfed by the savings possible with another change: a switch to high-efficiency air conditioning.
Most older air conditioning systems are fairly inefficient users of electricity. This is due partly to the less efficient technology of the time, and partly because air conditioners tend to grow less efficient as they age. The high energy prices of recent years, combined with concerns about the environment, have led to big advances in air conditioning efficiency. By replacing your old system with a new high-efficiency model, you can have considerably lower summer electric bills for years to come.
The easiest and most practical way to compare the efficiency of different air conditioners is to look at each model’s SEER rating. SEER, or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, is the air conditioner’s cooling output divided by its electrical input. To put it more simply, the higher the SEER number, the more efficient the air conditioner is. Many air conditioners manufactured before 2006 had SEER ratings of around 10. Since 2006, all central air conditioning systems are required to have SEER ratings of at least 13, while the very highest-efficiency models can have a SEER rating of 20 or more.
To find out what a difference high efficiency can make in your electric bills, you should contact the professionals at Aladdin Heating & Cooling.
Besides the monetary benefits of high efficiency, the energy savings result in environmental benefits. A high-efficiency air conditioner can reduce your carbon footprint as much as planting an acre of forest, and that is a long-term benefit that is hard to ignore.
For more information on high-efficiency air conditioning options for your Detroit-area home or business, contact us at Aladdin Heating & Cooling.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about high efficiency air conditioners and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Aladding Heating & Cooling services the Detroit, Michigan and the surrounding areas. Visit our websiteto see our special offers and get started today!
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.