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What should I ask my dealer (or builder) about before I purchase a system?
- Quality & Reliability.
- Efficiency Ratings
- Sound Ratings.
- Comfort Features.
- The Right System for Comfort.
- Warranties.
You may also want to ask your dealer about the availability of service agreements and maintenance agreements, two ways to keep your equipment in peak operating condition and provide
What should I look for in a new air conditioner, heat pump or furnace?
While heat pumps and air conditioners require the use of some different components in your heating and cooling system, the three most important factors you should evaluate are essentially the same: quality, efficiency, and comfort features. Quality
When you purchase a new car, the quality of it helps determine how well it will perform and for how long. An air conditioner or heat pump is really no different. Purchasing a brand name that has a reputation for quality and reliability can save you headaches and extra expense down the road. New Carrier air conditioners and split systems, for example, undergo 34 quality tests and checks during production, with more than 20 of these being performed on every unit not just on random samples.
New Carrier furnaces also undergo a rigorous series of quality tests and checks during production, with many of the tests being performed on every unit not just on random samples. Plus, we back every furnace in writing, with a 20-year or more limited warranty on the heat exchanger (the heart of the furnace) and a one-year limited warranty on the entire unit. Efficiency
Cooling efficiency for air conditioners and heat pumps is indicated by a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating, which tells you how efficiently the unit uses electricity. Heat pumps also have heating efficiency ratings, indicated as an HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor). In general, the higher the SEER or HSPF rating, the less electricity the unit will use to cool (or heat) your home. In 1992, the government established minimum efficiency standards for units installed in new homes at 10.0 SEER and 6.8 HSPF. Most air conditioners and heat pumps manufactured before 1992 had SEER ratings below 7.0 and HSPF ratings below 5.0. Air conditioners and heat pumps manufactured today have SEER ratings that range from 10.0 to about 17. Heat pumps are available with HSPE ratings from about 6.8 to 10.0. Usually, the higher the efficiency, the more expensive the unit. If you live in a warm and/or humid climate, you will probably see the higher cost of a high-efficiency air conditioner or heat pump paid back (through lower utility bills) in a few short years. Your dealer can use cooling data from your area to help you determine about how long it would take you to recover the additional cost in energy savings. Of course, after the payback, you continue to save on your energy bills for the life of the system. One other point to keep in mind is that your heat pump or air conditioner is a "split system," which means that there is an outdoor unit (condenser) and an indoor unit (coil). If you're replacing an existing system, both units should be replaced to make sure your new condensing unit gives you optimal performance, efficiency and comfort. Note: Air-source heat pumps - the type most commonly used in homes - are typically installed with additional back-up heating (usually electric resistance strip heating) for days when the outdoor temperature drops below 30 and the heat pump cannot extract enough heat from the outside air to heat the home. SEER and HSPF ratings do not refer to the efficiency of electrical resistance backup heat, which is calculated.
A furnace’s efficiency rating, or AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency), tells you how efficiently the furnace uses fuel (gas or oil). In general, the higher the efficiency, the less fuel the furnace will use to heat your home.
In 1992, the government established a minimum AFUE rating for furnaces installed in new homes at 78%. In contrast, many furnaces manufactured before 1992 had AFUE ratings as low as 60%. Mid-efficiency furnaces, also known as non-condensing or induced draft furnaces, offer efficiencies from 78% to about 80%. High-efficiency furnaces, also called condensing or sealed combustion furnaces, offer AFUE ratings from 80% to about 96%. Comfort Features
Some air conditioners and heat pumps offer additional features that provide greater comfort (as well as additional energy savings). Two-speed units can run on low speed (using 50% of the energy) up to 80% of the time, so they operate more quietly and run for longer periods of time than single-speed models. Some mid- and high-efficiency furnaces offer additional features that provide greater comfort (as well as additional energy savings). Two-speed furnaces can run on low speed up to 90% of the time, so they operate more quietly and run for longer periods of time than single-speed furnaces. Longer operating periods translate into fewer on/off cycles, fewer drafts and much smaller temperature swings-- only two or three degrees instead of the four-degree swings common with single-speed units. Plus, better air circulation helps prevent air "stratification" -warm air rising to the ceiling and cold air settling on the floor. In short, you get consistent, even cooling throughout your home. If you purchase a multi-speed or variable-capacity furnace or fan coil with your unit, you will enhance both the comfort and the efficiency of your air conditioning or heat pump system even further. There are also "smart" motors than can monitor your home's comfort needs and automatically adjust the volume and speed of air to provide the most efficient heating or cooling. They offer added electrical efficiency as well: the "smart" fan motors on Carrier's variable-capacity furnaces use less electricity than a 100-watt light bulb. They operate so efficiently that they can actually increase the efficiency rating of your central air conditioning system and offer you added energy savings when you use continuous fan operation in any season. Sound Levels
There's a good chance you won't ever think about the sound level of your air conditioner or heat pump ... until, that is, you try to enjoy a quiet conversation with some friends in your back yard. Sometimes noise from condensing (outdoor) units even interferes with your peace and quiet indoors, so it's a factor you should at least look at when you're comparing different models.
The sound level of outdoor units is measured in bels (similar to decibels), on a scale from 0 (barely perceptible sound) to 13 (the threshold of pain). Most air conditioners and heat pumps operate at 8 to 9 bels - some units' ratings are as low as 6.8. That may not sound like a wide range, but consider this: 9 bels sounds 10 times louder than 8 bels. That means one 9-bel air conditioner is as loud as 10 units rated at 8 bels. So we think taking the time to compare bel ratings is pretty sound advice. |
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Why do I need to “match” my condensing unit and indoor coil?
Imagine you have four old, worn-out tires on your car and you decide you only want to replace two of them. You can still drive your car, but you'll soon be disappointed with the inconsistent handling and the poor mileage you get. The unmatched tires simply aren't capable of the same level of performance. You could have these same kinds of problems with comfort and efficiency if the components of your central air conditioning or heat pump system are not properly matched.
It takes teamwork.
Your central air conditioning or heat pump system is a split system. That means it consists of two parts: an indoor unit (coil) and outdoor (condensing) unit. These two parts are specifically designed to work together as a coordinated "team" to provide top performance and maximum efficiency and comfort. Plus, since both components are necessary for a working system, both parts of your existing system were originally installed at the same time - which means they both wear out at the same time. So if you install a new outdoor unit, be sure to include a new, equally efficient "matched" indoor unit. When a bargain's not a bargain.
If you don't replace your indoor unit, you won't be getting what you paid for. In fact, your system could be up to 15% less efficient than stated - and you'll be less comfortable, too. That’s why simply replacing just the outdoor unit isn't a bargain in the long run.
Replacing the outdoor unit but leaving the old indoor unit may offer you the lowest price, but it won't give you the best value. At best, when your air conditioning or heat pump components don't match, you'll be sacrificing comfort. The system may still "work)' but it won't perform up to the promised energy efficiency. Over time, this will also cost you more money. At worst, when the components aren't matched, it could create undue stress on your cooling system, resulting in unnecessary, premature failure. Matched Systems Mean Maximum Satisfaction.
When you consider the sacrifices and the added costs of repairing or replacing these unmatched units, installing a matched system the first time around makes good sense. You'll get higher efficiencies, greater reliability and more comfort. And that's a real bargain. |
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