Save More In Cooling Costs By Having An Air Conditioner Installation Technician Install Modern AC Units | Fort Worth, TX

Save More In Cooling Costs By Having An Air Conditioner Installation Technician Install Modern AC Units | Fort Worth, TX

At the beginning of summer, homeowners try to ensure that their air conditioners are inspected and serviced by an air conditioner installation technician. Others purchase and install air conditioners to ensure they have a comfortable Fort Worth, TX home come the summer. Modern air conditioning systems are more energy efficient compared to older systems. But what could be the reason behind this? Which technological advancements have led to the current air conditioners and heat pumps using far less energy while cooling your home? This article looks to answer these questions.

How Do Modern AC Units Ensure Energy Efficiency?

Use of Minisplit and Zoning Systems

Rather than cool all the rooms at your home, you could choose to cool only those areas of your home currently in use. This is called zoning or targeted cooling. Even the rooms you’re cooling don’t need the same cooling levels. For example, you cool your living rooms differently from how you usually cool the sunroom. This kind of zoning eliminates thermostat wars at your home and enhances comfort.

Do you want to experience the best of air conditioning zoning? Talk with your air conditioner installation technician about purchasing and installing mini-split systems. These systems have a single outdoor unit, unlike other systems. However, they have indoor units installed in every room. You can connect up to 9 indoor units using a single outdoor unit. With mini-split systems, you can cool only those sections of your Fort Worth, TX home in use and keep the air conditioner off in other rooms. It is worth noting that modern mini-split systems are ductless. Hence, you won’t be dealing with problems such as leaks or mold growth in the air ducts.

Even if an air conditioner installation technician installs the most energy-efficient air conditioning system, many other factors still impact your system’s energy. You can ensure that your air conditioning system uses less power to ensure that the right-sized air conditioner is installed. So, are you experiencing uneven cooling and are planning to replace your existing air conditioner? It would be best to consider having an air conditioner installation technician replace your old system with a zoned ductless mini-split system for more energy efficiency.

Better EER and SEER Ratings

In most modern air conditioning units, energy efficiency is a key consideration. They have a better SEER and EER ratings, meaning they are more energy efficient. But what do these ratings even mean? The Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) measures the efficiency of your air conditioning system in cooling. The metric shows your unit’s cooling capacity per unit of power it consumes. To get the ratio, you divide the cooling capacity of your air conditioner per hour by the amount of power in watts that the system uses in an hour. You want the air conditioner installation technician to install a unit that is highly energy efficient, and this is one with the highest EER. With the energy efficiency ratio, you can determine the level of cooling your air conditioning system gives per dollar used. Older systems have an EER rating of 6, while newer systems have an energy efficiency value above 13. You can even find a unit with an EER rating of over 16.

Seasonal EER (SEER) is another measure you must consider before purchasing a system. It determines the cooling efficiency of the air conditioner over the hottest season. Unlike the energy efficiency ratio determined on the hottest day, SEER also considers the variations in outdoor and indoor temperatures and fluctuations in humidity. SEER applies to both mini-split systems and large central heating systems. Like EER, you should have your reliable air conditioner installation technician choose a system with a high SEER.

Modern air conditioning systems offer improved energy efficiency. However, the recommended SEER rating is at a minimum of 14, although some systems have SEER ratings of 24. As the rating increases, the energy savings also increase. Besides EER and SEER, there is another rating in which modern air conditioners have improved: HSPF. It measures the energy efficiency of a heat pump. Hence, if you are installing a heat pump at your home, air conditioner installation technicians recommend choosing a higher HSPF.

The Use of Programmable and Smart Thermostats

Introducing programmable thermostats into the heating and cooling industry was a great leap forward in energy savings. Homeowners can set these thermostats based on their unique needs. Rather than often setting the thermostat whenever you want a change in temperatures, you can have an air conditioner installation technician install a programmable thermostat that you can pre-program a schedule that will cool your Fort Worth, TX home.

This ensures that you save on energy whenever you aren’t at home. Then came smart thermostats. These are somewhat different from their programmable counterparts. Smart thermostats can learn your routine and change energy consumption accordingly. Additionally, you can control a smart thermostat right from your smartphone.

Smart thermostats help households with air conditioners use 15% less energy on average, according to Nest research. A smart thermostat can save up to twenty-three percent of the energy required to cool a home. Energy savings are achieved through several features in smart thermostats. These devices use geofencing, scheduling, and motion detection to decide when to turn on the air conditioning. As a result, they conserve energy while you’re away.

This gadget is incredibly effective since it allows you to control indoor temperatures while away. Perhaps you intended to remain at home, but a situation arose that will prevent you from being there for several days. To save electricity, you can remotely turn off the air conditioner. A smart thermostat will cost extra to purchase, but you will save money on energy in the long run. So, if you want to improve your energy savings, talk to your air conditioner installation technician about pairing your existing HVAC system with a smart thermostat.

Variable Speed Motors

The other energy-saving feature in modern air conditioning systems is their variable speed motors. Variable speed motors allow homeowners to efficiently control one of the most critical aspects of their air conditioning system. Older AC units didn’t have this energy-saving feature. The variable speed motor design ensures that the pumps and fans run optimally while saving you energy. For instance, reducing the rotation speed of a fan by half means that you will see a reduction in energy savings by about an eighth of the original fan speed. Hence, you can vary the speed of the fan and the pump operation depending on your heating and cooling needs.

The modern systems feature automatic variable speed fan motors. Here, the system monitors the temperatures, humidity, and other factors to vary the motor speed and deliver as little or as much cooling as you need. Do you need a real energy-saving feature? Have an air conditioner installation technician install a modern unit with a variable-speed motor feature. When the temperatures are high, or you need rapid cooling, the motor will rotate at a higher speed. It then slows down whenever the temperatures fall to a certain range. The reduction in motor speed will continue until the thermostat set temperatures are achieved.

Two-Stage Compressors

Two-stage compressors are substantially more energy-efficient and are used in modern systems. The compressor in these systems has two distinct capacities. It could be medium/high or low/high. With such a setup, your air conditioner would operate primarily on the medium or low level, only switching to the high setting when additional cooling is required. These two-stage compressors resemble variable-speed compressors, but they differ significantly from single-stage compressors that operate at a single level.

A two-stage system shifts to a low setting during cooler months to conserve electricity and lower humidity. The system changes to high power to sufficiently cool your home when the temperature rises. The equipment’s lifespan is increased by its capacity to operate at a lower power setting, which removes the need for frequent cycling. During an air conditioner installation, ensure that the modern AC unit has a two-stage compressor.

Change in Refrigerant

Was your air conditioner installed before 2010? Then it could be used as a refrigerant called Freon or R-22. This refrigerant blend is slowly being phased out. The government banned its production and distribution in 2020 because of its environmental impacts. While you could continue using the same system, you should have an air conditioner installation technician replace it if yours is past 15 years and is already showing signs of irreparable damage and frequent need for repairs.

No new air conditioning systems that use R-22 are being produced. Today, there are new refrigerant blends that are good for the environment as they have a low global warming potential and are almost inflammable. For instance, some systems use HFO refrigerants like R-1234yf and R-1234ze, while others use coolants such as r-410A. Besides being eco-friendly, these refrigerants are better at heat transfer, ensuring that your air conditioner doesn’t run longer to cool your Fort Worth, TX home. This has led to an increase in energy efficiency. The price of R-22 is at an all-time high and will continue to increase. Worse, it might soon be completely unavailable in the future. Hence, homeowners are urged to start planning to have air conditioner installation technicians replace their existing systems with new ones.

Variable-Stage Fans

Not all new air conditioning systems have variable-speed fans, but it is something that you should look for when you are planning to call an air conditioner installation technician for an upgrade. Standard central air conditioning systems have a blower fan that runs at a single speed. Variable-speed fans can power down or up depending on the level of cooling needed. Most blower fans only run at lower capacity most of the time. This will save you money and help with an even air distribution to effectively cool your Fort Worth, TX home.

Benefits of an Energy-Efficient Air Conditioning System

Lower Energy Bills

Although having an air conditioner installation technician install a modern, new system at your home is a significant investment upfront, it will save you a fortune in the long run. The cooling and heating costs comprise about 50% of your home’s energy bill.

Fewer Repairs

Whenever your air conditioner runs at a higher efficiency level, it doesn’t have to work harder than required to cool your Fort Worth, TX home effectively. It means the appliance will remain in a better state and require fewer repairs. Hence, have an air conditioner installation technician install a modern system and even pair it with a smart thermostat for more energy savings.

Longer Lifespan

Your higher energy-efficient air conditioner will last longer because it won’t need to work as hard as an older, less efficient unit does, in addition to requiring fewer repairs. Your energy-efficient AC may last for about 20 years with the proper yearly maintenance and tune-ups. You want your investment in an air conditioning system to endure as long as possible. You won’t need to call an air conditioner installation technician for a replacement soon.

Rebates and Incentives

Many incentives and rebates are available when you install an energy-efficient system. Do your homework on the discounts and incentives offered in your area. Alternatively, consult the air conditioner installation pros in your area. They have to be knowledgeable about the programs available to assist you in covering some of the upfront expenditures.

Environmentally Friendly

By having an air conditioner installation technician install an energy-efficient air conditioner, you will have done your part in protecting the environment. You also can talk with the technician about making your Fort Worth, TX home more energy efficient.

Do you want to experience an unparalleled advantage in heating and cooling energy costs? Contact us at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth to install a modern air conditioning system. We are the best company in town for anything to do with ACs.

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