High efficiency cooling and heating means less wasted energy, which translates directly into monthly energy savings for you. With today’s improved comfort systems, there are many ways to improve the efficiency of your air conditioning. They range from small changes in the way you condition your home’s air to making a commitment to purchasing a high-efficiency system when it’s time for comfort system replacement. Shannon’s Heating & Cooling has the answers you need to start living more comfortably and efficiently today.
SEER Rating Air Conditioning Efficiency
SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. This value measures the efficiency of an air conditioner when converting energy into cooling performance. The current minimum SEER value with which an air conditioner can be manufactured is 13. However, units are produced with values much higher than 13 offering greater efficiency for every increase in rating points.
Air conditioning systems manufactured before January 23, 2006, may have lower SEER values, as current mandates were not in effect before this time. If you have an air conditioner that was installed before January of 2006, you could be paying 30% or more than you’d pay to operate a newer model.
What Do I Do?
Contacting Shannon’s Heating & Cooling about the SEER value of your air conditioner can be a significant factor in your decision to consider system replacement. Additionally, when purchasing a new air conditioner for your home, consider a system with the highest SEER value you can comfortably afford. Purchasing the highest-efficiency air conditioning system you can will help you enjoy more energy savings.
Temperature And Humidity Set Point
The temperature set point programmed into your thermostat also has an effect on your air conditioning’s efficiency. Maintaining a large temperature differential between your home and the outdoor environment is hard on your HVAC system. So, for every degree of difference between the outside temperature and the indoor temperature, your air conditioner must consume more energy.
What Do I Do? Air conditioning efficiency
Keeping your home at 74-76 degrees strikes a good balance between comfort and efficiency during warmer months. Setting your temperature too low will overtax your air conditioner, causing it to lose efficiency quickly and increasing the cost of home cooling.
Setting the temperature lower while you are at home and raising it by one to two degrees when you leave allows your air conditioner a bit of a break for an efficiency boost without causing it to work much harder when you return home.
Humidity Control
In Pensacola, we experience high humidity levels 9 out of 12 months a year. While you know it’s the cause for feeling hot and muggy outside, you may not be aware that high humidity levels can lurk throughout your home as well. This makes for an uncomfortable indoor environment and can even cause damage to the foundational aspects of your home.
What Do I Do?
If you live in Pensacola, it’s important you keep the humidity levels in your home between 40-60%. These humidity levels won’t cause damage to your home. However they will increase the efficiency of your comfort system, save you money, and keep you more comfortable.
The American Standard products we offer provide low speeds and longer run times, reducing humidity in a precise and consistent manner. This means you’ll end up feeling more comfortable at a warmer thermostat setting with optimal efficiency from your system.
Duct Conditions
Your air ducts transport the air cooled by your air conditioning system to the rest of your home. If your ducts are dirty, clogged, or in poor condition, your HVAC system can’t distribute air effectively and will lose efficiency.
What Do I Do?
In addition to scheduling regular air conditioning maintenance, have your HVAC professional evaluate your ducts once a year. Patching holes and cleaning out severe buildup is the best way to ensure your ducts perform properly. This will allow you to get the most from your comfort system while raising its overall efficiency and temperature control.
Contact Us
Are you looking for ways to reduce home energy use? Maybe you want to enjoy better performance from your comfort system in the Pensacola area. If so, we invite you to contact us via our website to schedule a visit for air conditioning evaluation, maintenance, or repair.
Shannon’s Heating & Cooling is your independently owned American Standard Heating and Air Conditioning dealer serving Pensacola and the surrounding area. To contact us, please call 850-698-3101 or email us at info@shannonshvac.com.
