As temperatures soar, your central air conditioning becomes a vital part of your daily comfort.  Two-thirds of all homes in the United States have air conditioners.  Air conditioners use about 5% of all the electricity produced in the United States, and cost homeowners over $11 billion each year.  As a result, roughly 100 million tons of carbon dioxide are released into the air each year—an average of about two tons for each home with an air conditioner!

So, the cost of operating central air accounts for a large portion of your yearly energy bill.  Switching to high-efficiency air conditioners and taking other actions to keep your home cool could reduce your energy use by 20%–50%.

To reduce wasted energy, the U.S. Department of Energy has established minimum efficiency standards for air conditioners.  Every unit is given an efficiency rating, called a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating).  This is listed on the yellow Energy Guide label posted on each unit.  It’s important to look at these ratings since the higher the number the more efficient the unit and the less it will cost to provide cooling.

The minimum allowable SEER rating for new central air conditioners had been 10, but it was changed to 13 in January 2006. The most efficient models have SEERs of 15–17.

When shopping, pay attention to the terminology.  By the old standards, “High-efficiency” models were those rated a 10.  “Super-high-efficiency” models had a SEER of 11–12.  “Ultra high-efficiency” models were 12 and over. To achieve particularly high SEERs, air conditioners may have any number of energy-saving features, typically large coils for more efficient heat transfer and variable-speed blower and fan motors to reduce electricity consumption.

Programmable thermostats also help by offering precise control.  Another energy-saving device is the AC-Enhancer™.  This is an after-market add-on that is installed in the indoor blower.  It allows the cooling system to quickly reach peak operating efficiency, reducing energy use.  Finally, some units have an indicator light that lets you know when the filter needs changing, which also boosts efficiency by ensuring proper maintenance.

Do you need an ultra-high-efficiency air conditioner?  Not necessarily.  Of course, for the sake of the environment—from energy usage to greenhouse gas emissions—the higher the efficiency the better. But, in terms of dollars, the savings compared to the premium you will pay may not make economic sense for you, particularly if you require minimal cooling during the year.  Or if your home isn’t tightly insulated, all the gains of a premium model may not be worth it.  On the other hand, where an air conditioner must run frequently during the year, a highly efficient model will pay for itself in energy savings over a period of years.

One note about replacing an aging system:  Be sure to replace both the outdoor condensing unit and the indoor evaporator.  If you just replace the condensing unit, potential gains of a higher-efficiency unit may be lost.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about energy-efficient air conditioning and other HVAC topics, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Oren Atchley Company services the greater Fort Smith area of Arkansas.  To get started, check out our website or see our special offers.