Central Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps

Air conditioning consists of five major components: condenser, compressor, coil, expansion valve and blower motor. These components all work together to transfer energy or heat away from a conditioned space. How does the heat transfer take place? Air Conditioners rely on refrigerant to absorb the heat from within your home, and then they release it outside. Your indoor coil which rests above your furnace or air handler is the source of your home's newly conditioned air, while the outside condenser is responsible for depositing excess heat. For an air conditioning system to work properly, it must be adequately sized to your home. A/C sizing is measured in tonnage, and in the search for efficiency, it is important to make sure you have neither too much nor too little.

On average, air conditioners have a life expectancy of 12–15 years. Factors such as size, climate, and the frequency of air conditioner maintenance all influence air conditioner lifespan. The air conditioner's environment can also have an effect on the longevity - air conditioning units used in a dry climate will naturally experience less strain than those used in high humidity climates. As such, regular maintenance is crucial for ensuring that your air conditioning unit operates effectively and efficiently as it gets older. Cleaning impurities from air filters every few months helps keep dust buildup at bay and minimize strains on air conditioning components that could otherwise shorten their life span.

Today, homeowners can also heat their home with an air conditioner. Confused? It will make more sense if you think of your air conditioner as a giant refrigerator. If you feel the vent at the bottom of your refrigerator, your hand will be warm, well where is the heat coming from? The heat is actually being extracted from inside your refrigerator.

What does this all mean? Heat can be extracted from outside your home and not just in the summer months, but all year round, even when temperatures hit zero degrees.

How does it work? Heat pumps reverse the A/C refrigerant processes so that the indoor coil found over your home's furnace or air handler becomes hot, thus heating your home, while the outside condenser releases cold air to the unconditioned space outside.

Why would you want a heat pump, you already have forced hot water or forced hot air? Heat pumps can reduce your dependency on expensive gas and oil. An increase in your utility bill will be noticed, but the savings on oil or gas will easily cover the increase in your utility. In fact, if you are already in the market for an air conditioner, a heat pump will pay the difference in cost within two years of operation.

EER, or Energy Efficiency Ratio, is a measurement used to determine the efficiency of air conditioners and heat pumps. The higher the EER, the more efficient the unit. Air conditioners and heat pumps with a high EER use less energy to produce the same amount of cooling or heating as units with a lower EER. For example, an air conditioner with an EER of 10 will use less energy than an air conditioner with an EER of 9 to produce the same amount of cooling. Similarly, a heat pump with an EER of 9 will use less energy than a heat pump with an EER of 8 to produce the same amount of heating. Inverter heat pumps and mini splits typically have a higher EER than traditional air conditioners and heat pumps because they are more efficient at converting electricity into heat or cooling. As a result, they can save you money on your energy bill while still providing the same level of comfort.