If you’ve got an old air conditioner, it’s not as efficient as it once was. For ten years or so, being diligent about routine maintenance every single year will keep bringing an air conditioner’s efficiency back up to what it was when it was new. But as the AC system reaches the end of its life, nothing can counteract all that wear and tear enough to keep it efficient.
Here’s the other thing you should know. Remember when that air conditioner was brand-new? Well, even then, it wasn’t nearly as efficient as the systems that are on the market today! How are air conditioners being made so much more energy-efficient than they were in the past? We’re excited to tell you about some major advances in AC tech.
Refrigerant Coils
The coils are metal tubes which contain the refrigerant as it flows back and forth between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. Indoors, the refrigerant soaks up as much heat as it can hold from the air in your home. Outdoors, that heat is allowed to radiate out until the refrigerant is cool enough to soak up more heat again.
The key here is that the refrigerant must be kept contained, but it must also be able to change in temperature as much as possible, as quickly as possible. Otherwise, the air conditioner will have to work harder, keeping it pumping, because it won’t be able to cool your home as much.
What can be done to keep this process more efficient? The major advance in refrigerant coils has been the use of new materials to manufacture them. These materials have greater thermal conductivity. Now the coils allow for more absorption and quicker release of heat, so the air conditioner won’t have to run as much.
Moving Beyond the Binary
Many systems are simply binary. Like a basic light switch, they’re either on or off. And this was the case for both the blower fan motor and the compressor in older AC units. That means that every time they came on, they came on at full power. But full power isn’t always necessary!
Today’s high-efficiency air conditioners have variable-speed blower fan motors and multi-stage compressors. Both of these components are critical: the compressor keeps the refrigerant flowing and the motor powers the fan that distributes the cooled air through your ducts and out your vents. But they don’t always need to be operating at full power.
Now, these components can run at a power-saving lower mode most of the time. When it’s absolutely necessary, during a heat wave perhaps, they are able to switch to full-power mode, and they’ll do this automatically. When this much power is no longer needed, they’ll automatically switch back.
When you’re considering AC replacement in Cumming, GA, you should consider that with a new, high-efficiency system, you’ll pay less every single month for your electricity. Reach out to us to find out more.
To speak with a member of our team, contact DC Cheek Heating, Cooling & Plumbing today. Fixed, At the Speed of Life!
