May 16, 2012

“How much does it cost to run an air conditioner?”  A very important question when choosing a cooling appliance.  Manufacturers answer that question with  “SEER”, or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio.  It is a mathematical formula to which the solution is a ratio of BTUs of cooling output to watts of electricity input over the course of a cooling season.  Put more simply, it’s kind of like figuring the mileage a new car will get.

The mileage sticker on the window is a reference point.   A car’s mileage is effected by how you drive:  How fast you accelerate and decelerate, how much driving in town and how much on the highway, whether or not you use the cruise control and the overdrive or the four wheel drive.

Many factors can effect the efficiency of your air conditioner.

The SEER rating on an air conditioner is like that reference point.  The efficiency of an air conditioner depends largely on how you use it.  Do you use a manual thermostat or a smart, programmable thermostat?  Do you minimize doorway usage to keep outdoor air outdoors?  Do you like to keep the house at 68 degrees or 73 degrees?  Proper periodic maintenance also directly effects the system efficiency.  Making sure the refrigerant is properly charged, the coil and filter are clean to allow sufficient air flow and the ducts are sealed will improve efficiency and reduce operating cost.

The advertised SEER rating is calculated in a laboratory under nearly ideal conditions.  This is why the specifications will always say “up to” before the rating.  Real life efficiency, like real life mileage of a car, will vary from the sticker number.  But a system rated at 17 SEER will be more efficient than one rated at 13 SEER.

Today, it is rare to see systems rated below SEER 9 in the United States because aging, existing units are being replaced with new, higher efficiency units. The United States requires that residential systems manufactured after 2005 have a minimum SEER rating of 13.

Energy savings can be significant with more efficient systems. For example, by upgrading from an old SEER 9 to SEER 13, the power consumption is reduced by 30%.   That can result in an energy savings up to $300 per year depending on the usage rate and the cost of electricity.

May 8, 2012

Congratulations!  As of May 3, 2012 Complete Heat achieved 100% NATE certification for heating and air conditioning service technicians.  Mike Verstreate added GAS SERVICE SPECIALIST  to his core, and Anthony Seweryn, Senior Service Tech,  added HEAT PUMP SPECIALIST to his certified specialties.

100% Certified Service Technicians

Complete Heat is the only HVAC Service company in Western New York to have all Field technicians NATE Certified.

May 4, 2012

“How much will it cost to replace or add an air conditioner?”  That’s the most asked question we get this time of year.

Choose the Air Conditioner that's right for you.

Like buying a new car, the answer can vary significantly.  Size, brand and model are primary factors.  Other factors include efficiency, reliability, warranty, and even noise.

Your choices on each of these factors affect the cost of your air conditioner.  And, every one’s answers are unique.

Like buying a new car, the cost depends on whether you like the sub compact or the luxury sedan, or something in between.  Complete Heat will perform a no charge, no obligation assessment with you to arrive at the value of the right system for you and your home.

Under normal circumstances, it is less expensive to replace an existing air conditioner than installing one for the first time.  First time installations usually include things like duct work modifications, electrical utility supply, refrigerant line sets and control (thermostat) change out.

In part 2, a quick discussion on how air conditioners are rated for efficiency.

Apr 30, 2012

An air conditioner is a very tough piece of equipment. It is engineered to withstand all sorts of abuse and keep on running. This is great in most respects, but like a car, air conditioners need regular maintenance to run properly.

Keep your air conditioner running like new.

Without regular maintenance an air conditioner loses about 5% of it’s original efficiency for each year of operation.  This means that the 13 SEER unit that you bought just a few years ago may be functioning like a 10 SEER or less today!  The good news is that you can recover most of that lost efficiency through regular maintenance.  Studies show that with regular tune-ups a unit will maintain up to 95% of it’s original efficiency.  This means that the cost of an annual tune-up is recovered very quickly in savings on your monthly electric bill and reduced repair costs.  A properly serviced air conditioner will also do a better job of dehumidifying your home.

The system maintenance should include at least cleaning the condensing unit coils, checking the amp draw of the compressor, oiling the fan motors, checking that belts are well adjusted, and checking the system operating pressures and temperatures against the manufacturers specifications.  One of the most important items to check is the refrigerant level in the air conditioner.

Manifold gauges are used to measure refrigerant in your AC system.

A system that is only 10% low on coolant will cost about 20% more to operate! The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) recommends that coolant levels be checked every year.

There are some things that you can do in addition to yearly tune-ups that you can do to help ensure a high level of comfort and proper system operation.  First, buy good filters and change them regularly.  Next, keep bushes and other materials away from the outside unit of your air conditioner.

All equipment, even the most reliable, needs routine maintenance.   Modern electronic equipment like today’s air conditioners benefit in many ways from annual service.  They recover or maintain  much of their efficiency, they are less likely to suffer a major break down, they have a longer life span, they increase your comfort, and they operate for less money.