New AC System Energy-Saving Benefits

The Energy-Saving Benefits of a New AC System

Each year, the HVAC industry reminds homeowners of the limited lifespan of residential heating and air conditioning systems. However, you have maintained your system well and it seems to be running strong, so you are letting it ride well past the expected replacement date. Is this industry information about a New AC System useful? Or just a bunch of hype?

Holding on to an Older System

Statistics are only statistics and truthfully, some HVAC systems last longer than the average. However, these statistics give an honest expectation of system longevity. If your system remains healthy, here are a few things to watch for:

• Any significant repair is likely to cost more than expected and at that point, replacement will be economically practical. That is due to the high cost of R-22 refrigerant. The production of this gas has ceased since it has been deemed a threat to the environment.

  The Environmental Protection Agency decided in 2010 to halt production in 2020, so this is not an industry secret. But the resulting supply and demand makes the available R-22 refrigerant gas very expensive: R-22 can run $70 to $200 per pound and a 3-ton unit might need 9 to 10 pounds. Ouch!

• An old HVAC simply costs more to run than a new system. The newer, more efficient system will use less energy and cost less to heat/cool a home than a less efficient system. But if the current system is still running, you might be ignoring this, using a “paid for” system, rather than purchasing a new system.

  However, doing a little research will demonstrate the price is higher than you imagine. More on this later.

• Typically, the furnace portion of a central HVAC system lasts longer than the air conditioning portion, so you might be benefiting from a few extra months of usefulness. If your system is more than 15 years old, it is in your best interest to save regularly for the eventual and inevitable new AC system.

“Cut-to-the-Chase” Math on a New AC System

The surest way to make this article uninteresting is to include a series of equations to try to prove a point. Instead, we can say that the new refrigerant gas transfers heat more efficiently and that two-stage compressors and multi-stage blower motors improve the efficiency of heating and air conditioning significantly.

What does that mean? If your kilo-watt hour costs about $.14/hour, a new SEER 16 air conditioner will cost approximately $700 less than an older SEER 8 air conditioner. In 15 years, the savings amount to approximately $10,500.

• Unfortunately, that does not put the replacement cost of a new system in your pocket.
• Fortunately, that does pay the bulk of the cost of replacement. If you maintain it like your present system, the savings will continue to mount.

A Little SEER Insight

The minimum SEER rating for any new air-conditioner system is SEER 14 and the current maximum rating is SEER 26. SEER ratings measure cooling efficiency; the higher the number, the higher the efficiency.

As you might imagine, high efficiency also means a higher purchase price, so it is necessary to work with the installation team to determine which SEER rating makes economic sense for your home. They can calculate the energy savings at each SEER improvement and subtract it from the purchase premium.

Let us help install your new AC system.

Northwind Air Conditioning and Heat can help you with your new AC system installation and repair needs. Contact us and get the help you need.