Green is in. Modern Air & Refrigeration has been a pioneer of the eco-friendly HVAC drive since its inception. But sometimes going green, especially in a technical area like heating and cooling, can be difficult to ascertain. With this in mind, we have put together a list of tips for homeowners and businesses on how to go about picking an eco-friendly AC unit. In today’s article, we will outline a list of features to look for when it comes to choosing an AC unit in line with your green goals.
SEER or Energy Star Labels
The easiest way for consumers to judge an AC unit’s environmental friendliness comes in the form of two important labels. Eco-friendly AC units will have either an Energy Star and/or SEER rating in accordance with its energy saving ability. These two rankings on an HVAC system can sometimes indicate units that use up to 50% less energy than their non-labeled counterparts. Energy Star is a blue label that indicates voluntary participation in a program managed by the US Environmental Protection Agency with an intended goal of helping businesses and consumers manage their energy efficiency. SEER, on the other hand, is a measure of an AC unit’s cooling output divided by total electric energy in a given cooling season. It provides a numerical figure to compare from unit to unit to better pick a unit in line with your green goals.
Eco-Friendly AC Units with Two-Stage Compressors
A two-stage compressor, sometimes known as a dual-stage compressor, is an industry leading HVAC system feature to save money, and therefore reduce your environmental footprint. Unlike the traditional single stage compressor, an eco-friendly AC two-stage compressor will operate at two capacities. Medium capacity for when your home needs moderate cooling to high capacity when it’s extremely hot outside. This is a departure from traditional compressors that only have one capacity, which is running at full blast. The limited nature of medium capacity will not only save you money on heating and cooling costs but increase your AC’s operating lifetime as well.
Eco-Friendly AC Programmable Thermostats
This next eco-friendly AC feature we cannot recommend enough. Programmable thermostats have advanced leaps and bounds since they became commercially available. You can adjust these thermostats for different temperatures depending on when you plan on being home. Gone are the days of keeping your home cooled all day for no apparent purpose. Furthermore, for those users who endeavored to reduce their AC use by manually adjusting the temperature, this process can now happen automatically. Additionally, these nifty devices can be added to existing HVAC system installations.
Need professional help picking an eco-friendly AC unit? Call Modern Air and Refrigeration’s 24/7 line at (941) 727-0330 or send us a quick message for an immediate response.