Is your electric bill being forced up by your old air conditioner? Replacing your air conditioner with a new unit may be a good way to save home energy. However, if you do not approach this replacement properly, the high cost may not provide the gain you expect. Here is what you need to know BEFORE buying a new air conditioner.
Have you done as much as possible to reduce the need for cooling? The greatest energy savings come from the air conditioner being off. It is more cost effective to reduce air infiltration, improve insulation, reduce solar gain, and reduce internal heat generation. Solar gain is the heat directly from sunlight coming in through your windows. All of the above actions reduce the amount of time your air conditioner is operating. By the way, infiltration and insulation improvements also reduce heating costs.
Hire a cooling service company that will work with you. This is a major expense; Best Electric & Air is willing to discuss all options available including complete costs and warranties. The warranty is very important. Ask us about the guarantees in addition to manufacturer's warranty. Most problems come from improper installation or a manufacturer's defect which shows in the first year.
Inspect your ductwork. Request your cooling service company to inspect your ductwork. The entire supply and return paths should be inspected. Air leaking from ductwork makes it difficult to deliver conditioned air to all of the desired rooms. Leaks to the attic or crawl space waste energy; even leaks into conditioned areas can waste energy. This is because rooms far from the central unit can be uncomfortable if there is insufficient air. This situation results in the thermostat being adjusted for these far rooms. Other rooms are overcooled or overheated, wasting energy.
A little known fact is that most restriction in airflow is from the turns and transitions in the duct. A qualified contractor can spot duct fittings that unnecessarily restrict air flow. Even if you do not buy a new air conditioner, improvements in your air distribution can have a major impact on reducing your energy bill.
Which SEER should you select? The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating is the way central air conditioning systems are rated for energy efficiency. It is the seasonal energy output in Btu divided by the seasonal energy consumed in watt-hours. A SEER of 13 means for every watt-hour you pay for you get 13 Btu of cooling. Since January 2006 condensing units must be made with at least a SEER 13; for a new air conditioner your choices start at SEER 13. Major manufacturers offer products with SEER values over 20. Of course the higher the SEER, then the higher the cost. Request your contractor to provide a cost for each offered SEER.
Request a heating/cooling load calculation. The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) have developed a code accepted procedure for calculating heating and cooling requirements (load) for your home; it is called Manual J. This calculation is needed to determine the size of your air conditioner. This analysis should be performed after any energy improvements discussed in the first item.
Do not just replace with same size. The old unit may have been oversized or your energy saving actions may make your current size to large. An oversized unit will start and stop more often. This is inefficient and decreases the life of your unit.
Should you replace the indoor unit? The SEER ratings are for a matched indoor unit. Your existing coil and fan are probably smaller than the matched indoor unit for SEER 13 or higher. Your contractor will probably not be able to give you an adjusted SEER with your old indoor unit (data is not available), but it will be lower. Warranties may be voided or limited if indoor unit is not replaced along with the outdoor unit. Replacing both indoor and outdoor unit provides the best efficiency.
Which systems qualify for tax credit? Improving the efficiency of your air conditioner may qualify you for tax credits or rebates. These credits and rebates can be significant, but be completely sure of compliance. There is a federal credit of 30% up to $1500 for qualified air conditioning systems. SEER must be 16 or greater for central split systems, other criteria may apply. Also, your state, city, or utility may have incentives. Your contractor can help explain any incentives. Check with your tax preparer on federal and state credits. For example, the federal credits only offset your tax liability. You do not receive any credit once your taxes reach zero.
By now, including all of the above considerations, the cost has climbed quite high. Keep in mind upgrading your air conditioner will save energy. Best Electric & Air can help calculate a good estimate of how much you could save. If you try to cut corners, you still will pay a high cost, but energy savings will be limited. It does not cost anything to carefully evaluate all options and compare them based on savings in home energy.
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