Is your old air conditioner approaching the end of its life? As you get to the point of planning your AC replacement, there are a lot of considerations at hand. Of course, cost is a big part of what you need to take into account. But don’t just think about the initial investment of the new system. Much of the cost of air conditioning is not the system itself—it’s the operating cost.
Operating cost is the term for how much money is required to keep the system running. Keeping the operating cost low involves using less energy, and having lower electric bills each month. Luckily, there are some amazing new energy-efficient options for AC replacement. Here’s what’s changed since you last bought an air conditioner.
The Basics
We’ll start with a simple overview of how AC systems work. In the outdoor unit, there’s a compressor. This keeps the refrigerant moving through a system of coils. In the indoor unit, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the air. A motor powers a blower fan to distribute the now-cold air through ducts and vents. The refrigerant keeps flowing, and when it gets to the outdoor unit, it releases the heat.
New Advances
Like all arenas of manufacturing, HVAC companies are always trying to improve their products. In recent years, three major advances have occurred that really improve the efficiency of new models.
- The Coils: The system can spend less time working, and work more efficiently, if the refrigerant absorbs and releases heat more easily. This has been accomplished by using new materials for the construction of the coils. These materials have higher thermal conductivity—they allow the refrigerant to change temperature much more quickly with less energy use.
- The Motors: The motor that powers the blower fan in older models functions on a binary system. It is either on or off, so if it’s working, it’s working at full power. Today, models with variable-speed motors are being manufactured. They stay in an energy-efficient, power-saving mode unless more power is absolutely critical, and then they automatically adjust.
- The Compressor: Multi-phase compressors work in much the same way as variable-speed motors. They keep the power use as low as possible, only ramping up to higher-energy settings when your home really needs a big boost in cooling power.
The Heat Pump Advantage
A heat pump works the same way an air conditioner does, but it’s reversible! The refrigerant can cycle the opposite way, absorbing heat from outside (even in pretty chilly temperatures) and releasing it indoors. This is an extraordinarily efficient way to warm a home because no heat needs to be created—it just gets moved from place to place.
In our climate, depending on the heat pump, your home’s insulation, and other factors, a heat pump is likely not the only heat source you’ll need, but it can still dramatically cut your energy use, especially in spring and fall. And the latest models of heat pump have all the same technological advances as the latest air conditioners!
When you’re ready to plan your air conditioning replacement in Bovey, MN, we’re ready to help you find the most energy-efficient options.
Reach out to Mesaba Heating & Air Conditioning today. Service to you is success to us!