One of the most important specifications on an air conditioner is its b seasonal energy efficiency ratio,b or SEER. This number indicates how well the air conditioner converts electrical power into cooling power. The higher the SEER number, the less the air conditioner will cost to run over a cooling season.
However, higher SEER air conditioning systems tend to cost more upfront to install, so when you are considering having new installation of air conditioning in Asheville, NC, you may wish to have a lower SEER rating to match your current budget needs. Consult with HVAC professionals, like the people at Comfort Central, Inc., to help you make the best choice for your comfort and financial needs.
The New Regional Efficiency Standards
Effective January 1, 2015, the Department of Energy and the American Public Gas Associating will implement new Federal Regional Efficiency Standards. These standards will affect both air conditioners and heat pumpsb both split and packaged systemsb and are designed to ensure that more energy-efficient units are installed to help reduce the U.S. reliance on fossil fuels.
The standards differ depending on region; for North Carolina, the standard requires that all split system air conditioners (the standard central ACs for most homes) have SEER of 14 or greater. All ACs manufactured after December 31, 2014, must meet or exceed this new standard. However, manufacturers, distributors, and contractors have until June 30, 2016 (and 18-month period) to ship and install systems that do not meet the new standards, specifically the 13 SEER units that are still common. However, all these system must be manufactured before January 31, 2015.
What does this mean for you as a customer? If you already have an air conditioner with less than 14 SEER installed in your house, you wonb t need to worry. The new standards do not restrict repair and maintenance work done for existing systems. You can still expect to receive the same quality service for your air conditioner that you always have, using the same refrigerant blend.
However, if you are planning a new installation for air conditioning in Asheville, NC, you will have to make some choices about how soon you wish to have the work done. Some customers prefer the lower cost of 13 SEER units, which can make an ideal match with their budget plans. If you think that you may wish to have a 13 SEER air conditioning system installed, then you should consider scheduling the work soon. You can take advantage of the new units that the Regional Efficiency Standards will still permit manufacturers to produce until January 1. Contact Comfort Central, Inc. today and ask us about taking care of your installation; we will identify the air conditioner that will work the best for you, and if a 13 SEER is the right choice, we can have it installed long before the new efficiency standards go into effect. We aim to deliver you the best comfort available.