Helpful Hints

Hot weather got you thinking of buying a new air conditioner? Is your current air conditioner not cutting it anymore? If you have central air conditioning, it may be time for an upgrade, or to address some problems with your ventilation system. Here’s how to tell:

"If your air conditioner is more than ten years old, it likely working ineffectively and inefficiently, and should be replaced with a more energy-efficient model."

Older air conditioners typically mean higher energy bills. If your air conditioner needs frequent repairs it may not be properly suited for your home. You need a heating ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) specialist to assess your current system. If your cooling bills continue to rise, your cooling system may be working inefficiently. Some of the cost of new air conditioning systems will be offset by lower energy bills.

If some of the rooms in your home are either too hot or too cold, it could be your air conditioning equipment manufacturing or functioning inefficiently, or it could be a result of problems with your ducts or inadequate insulation.

If you have problems with humidity, your air conditioning equipment may be defective or otherwise performing inadequately, or you may have leaky ductwork, which can be corrected by a qualified HVAC Contractor Anderson Heating and Air Conditioning.

If there is a lot of noise coming from your air conditioning unit, there maybe a problem with its indoor coil, or your duct system may be to small.

"A bigger system is not always better"

The most important factor when purchasing a central air conditioning system is that it’s the appropriate size! Bigger is not necessarily better. If your system is too big, it won’t be as effective at dehumidifying, which will make your home feel hotter. Also, because oversized systems cycle on and off more frequently then they should, they tend to break down more often, cost more to maintain wear out faster.

"Older air conditioners typically mean higher energy bills"

An air conditioning system that is too small won’t be able to cool your house adequately. It will be overworked, use excessive electricity, run loudly and be prone to pre mature failure. It may even freeze over even on the warmest days.

An Anderson Air professional installer is trained to consider various factors that determine the right size of air conditioning equipment to meet the specific needs of your home - beyond square footage. Factors such as age of the house, its size , how many stories it has, how well it’s insulated, the number and quality of windows, and even local energy rates. They should use industry-standard "Manual J" and "Manual S" sizing calculations, however their years of experience can be used to modify the results. They may take into account other factors such as the shade effect of trees or the positioning of the windows on the house, to further inform their recommendations.

"Go for Thirteen seer or above"

To keep it simple, the higher the SEER value, the more energy-efficient si the system. Right now, a SEER of Ten is the lowest rating of an air conditioner allowed to be sold by law. However, on January 26, 2006 the law requires a minimum mandatory SEER rating of Thirteen. Aside from its better energy efficiency (I.e lower cooling bills) and less damage to the enviroment, further down the road you won’t have the difficulty and increased expense of trying to find parts for an outdated system.

Energy Star means energy-efficient

To ensure you are getting a unit with exceptional energy efficiency, buy a unit with an Energy Star label affixed. Energy Star is a program developed jointly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy to promote the use of appliances that reduce energy consumption and less negative impact on the enviroment. According to the EPA, an air conditioner that qualifies for Energy Star, which is properly sized and installed, with a properly sealed duct system, will save you Twenty percent in energy cost compared to other new, conventional systems.