If purchasing and installing a new A/C is on the agenda this summer, these additional features can lower your energy bills and increase your comfort.

Air conditioners and heat pumps must meet the minimum seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) of 13. The SEER requirement rose to this level in 2006 from its prior minimum of 10. Each increase in the SEER indicates that the equipment uses 10 percent less electricity for the same cooling output. High efficiency cooling systems have SEER ratings well into the 20s, so if you want even more savings, choose equipment that has a high SEER rating. 

These features raise the SEER and are good options for our particular climate:

• Variable-speed motor in the air handler – Also called electronically commutated motors (ECMs), these motors use minimal amounts of electricity. The ECM runs quietly and more slowly. Since the motor runs more slowly, it removes more airborne particulates and excess humidity in your home, making it an important feature for your new A/C. 
• Dual-speed compressor – These compressors run at two speeds. During the cooler parts of the day, it will run more slowly, reducing its electrical consumption. 

The next features won’t raise the SEER, but they do have the potential to lower your energy bills:

• Filter check light – When the air handler’s air filter gets dirty, the airflow through the system slows and makes the whole system run longer to cool your home. The light comes on when it’s time to change the filter, helping you prevent damage to your equipment and unnecessarily high energy bills. 
• Fan delay switch – This switch lets the air handler run a few minutes longer than the condenser, which circulates all the cooled air in the ducts you’ve paid to condition.

For more information about choosing a new A/C, contact Bill Joplin’s Air Conditioning & Heating. We’ve provided HVAC services for north Texas since 1978.